A
DETERMINATION OF SIZE OF THE NEGATIVE
by
Thomas Yanul, author. copyright 2006
AND
A RISKY PRESERVATION ATTEMPT WITH MAMMOTH PLATINUMS
PAGE
A - BIG PLATINUM PRINTS
AFTER
A FEW DAYS OF ADMIRERING THE VERY LARGE VIEW WHICH WERE MOUNTED ON CARDBOARD
WITH A SIMILAR CARDBOARD OVERLAY MATT, I
DECIDED
TO SEE IF I COULD FREE THE PRINT FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE AND BRITTLE CARDBOARD.
THIS PAGE ATTESTS TO THE FORTUNATELY
SUCCESFULL
ATTEMPT AND THE METHODS USED. ALTHOUGH I PUT AT RISK A VERY VALUABLE
HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH, SELDOM IF EVER SEEN IN
PRIVATE
COMMERCE (MOSTKNOWN PRINTS OF THIS SIZE ARE IN MUSEUMS AND PROMINENT LIBRARIEIS)
I DECIDED TO TAKE THE CHANCE TO SEE IF I
COULD
FREE THE ACTUAL PRINT FROM ITS CARDBOARD ENCAPSULATION.
I
FIRST TRIMMED OFF MOST OF THE APPARENT EXCESS CARDBOARD AROUND THE PRINT.
NEXT I PUT THE UNIT IN A STAINLESS STEEL TRAY AND ADDED ABOUT ONE GALLON
OF DISTILLED WATER. OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 6 HOURS THE CARDBOARD
BEGAN TO LIFT AND DISINTEGRATE WHEREBY I COULD LIFT MOST OF IT AWAY
FROM THE PRINT. TO MAKE THE STORY SHORTER, WHAT I ENDED UP WITH, AFTER NUMEROUS
CHANGES OF WATER TO GET RID OF THE CARDBORD AND DISSOLVED GLUES IN THE WATER,
WAS THE PRINT WITH A PAPER BACKING WHICH PROVED TO BE THE MOST DIFFUCULT TO
REMOVE. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE PLATINUM PRINT WAS GLUED TO THE PAPER,
THEN MOUNTED TO THE CARDBOARD. THE PAPER WAS THE MOST TEDIOUS TO REMOVE.
GENTLE FINGER ROLLING ON THE PAPER, MM BY MM WAS THE ONLY APPARENT WAY TO
REMOVE THAT FINAL SURFACE. IN THE END THE PLATINUM PAPER PROVED
TO BE RATHER SUBSTANTIAL - AS REGARDS STABILITY - AND ONLY A FEW VERY SMALL
SECTIONS OF DAMAGE OCCURED - ALBEIT A RESULT OF MY BEING A BIT OVERLY AGGESSIVE
IN TRYING TO GET THE RESIDUE REMOVED.
AFTER
SEVERAL ADDITIONAL SOAKINGS IN DISTILLED WATER, THE PRINT WAS LAID
ON A PIECE OF RAG BOARD FOR DRYING. IT DRIED RELATIVELY FLAT WITH
VERY LITTLE WRINKLING. THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS SHOW METHODOLOGY I USED - CRUDE
AS IT WAS.
THE
PRINT IS OF THE NEW YORK STATE BUILDING AT THE 1893 CHICAGO COLUMBIAN EXPOSTION
- OR THE WORLD'S FAIR OF 1893. ETC, ETC.
INFORMATON
GLEANED: THIS PRINTS ACTUAL IMAGE SIZE IS 21 1/4 X 17 3/4". AND MAKING
SOME ASSUMPTIONS ON HIDDEN AREAS FOR HOLDDOWN, I WOULD ASSUME THE ACTUAL
GLASS PLATE WAS ON THE ORDER OF 21 3/4" X 18 1/4'. OR THEREABOUTS. (POSSIBLY
22X19") I CANNOTSAY FOR ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY SINCE I DO NOT HAVE AN ACTUAL
CAMERA OR PLATE HE USED TO KNOW WHAT THE HOLDDOWN AREA WAS WITHIN THE PLATE
HOLDER. BUT CERTAINLY THIS GIVES A STRONG INDICATION OF NEAR ACTUAL SIZE
OF THE PLATE USED AND THE CAMERA. MOST CAMERAS OF THIS SIZE WERE CUSTOM
BUILT BY CABINET MAKERS - WOODWORKERS/TURNED CAMERA MAKERS, AND ACCORDING
TO A PHOTOGRAPHER I SPENT MUCH TIME WITH (GEORGE DRUCKER) WHO BEGAN
IN 1903, PLATE MAKERS WOULD MAKE ANY SIZE PLATE YOU WISHED.
THE PAPER THICKNESS MIC'S OUT TO 5/1000 OF AN
INCH.
