developing 1940s dry plates and 4x5

[serenity364]

My friend has a 1940s press camera from his father and when I took a look inside the film holders, there was 4x5 sheet film and 2 1/4* 3 1/4 dry glass plates. He also has a box of (I'm assuming unexposed) glass plates. I'm pretty new to processing sheet film and have no idea how to process the dry plates or the 4x5 sheets since I don't know the manufacturer/speed etc. and they are so old.
I just have experience processing Kodak Prof. Tri-X 320 TXP Black and White using HC110 or D-76 developer.
The glass plate box says:
One Dozen Kodak Cut Film Sheaths
2 1/4 x 3 1/4
Manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company
Rochester, NY, USA
Trade Marks Reg. US Pat. Off.

and the ownership papers say the camera was purchased 1946, but some of the materials are time stamped 1945.
Since the glass plates are Kodak, is it also safe to assume the 4x5 sheet film is also Kodak?
If anyone could help me out with how to process the plates and sheet film that would be very helpful.

 

[ntenny]

That's not a glass plate box; the "cut film sheaths" are metal spacers that sit inside a plate holder to allow it to accept film. It may *have* plates inside it, of course, but if so it's a repurposed box.

HC-110 is usually a good developer for really old film, because of its good fog control. There will still be plenty of fog on plates that old, though; in my limited experience, I get a sc*nnable image about half the time, but close to half of those are foggy enough that getting an acceptable optical print is very difficult.

I'm not sure when sheet film started having notch shapes that coded for the emulsion. If you take a sheet out in the darkroom and feel the edges, there will be notches near one corner; trace the shape of those notches and it may help you determine what kind of film. Alas, plates have no notches.

Development times will be a pious guess no matter what, because the effects of age on film are unpredictable. If you have ortho emulsions (not uncommon in the 1940s), you can develop by inspection under a safelight.

You say you *looked* inside the holders---was that with the lights on? If so, I hope you left some unopened!

-NT

 

[serenity364]

Thanks!!!
Once I've traced the notches, where can I get the film identified? Is there a database or specific kind of shop I need to use to identify the film notches?
I opened them inside the darkroom so safelights/white lights were off, but I think I accidentally exposed one of the glass plates to safelight.

 

[ntenny]

If you google "film notch codes" you find a lot of lists. There isn't really one comprehensive source, but just about every film seems to be described somewhere, in my experience.

-NT

 

[jakelovesphoto]

It may be useful to note that in the days of glass plates, emulsions were not panchromatic. You should be able to develop the plates under (to be safe dim) safelight, and just watch for development. If they're clear, you can also place these on top of black paper or felt for a positive looking image called an "ambrotype"

 

[Molli]

It may be useful to note that in the days of glass plates, emulsions were not panchromatic. You should be able to develop the plates under (to be safe dim) safelight, and just watch for development. If they're clear, you can also place these on top of black paper or felt for a positive looking image called an "ambrotype"

Just to make life a little more difficult for the original poster, I have glass plates from the 1940s, Ilford HP3, which are very much panchromatic and have to be handled in complete darkness. The leaflet enclosed in the box also has six other panchromatic glass plate emulsions listed, amongst them, FP4 and HPS.

Glass plates were being manufactured into the 1980s and even later, so a great many of them were panchromatic.

 

[ntenny]

It may be useful to note that in the days of glass plates, emulsions were not panchromatic.

Not always true---I've got a couple of old boxen of panchromatic plates. Ortho emulsions seem to be more common, but pan plates were available way back in the early 20th century. I wouldn't risk a safelight with an unknown plate.

-NT