E.Kodak "The Stanley Dry Plate", April 1912

[TimVermont]

A friend has asked me to print from a box of these glass plate negatives. On superficial examination, they appear well-exposed and focused. They come complete with notes in the box lidurchased April 1912 from W.H. Wheeler & Son in Springfield, Vermont, a few exposures in April, and finished up in May 1912.

There is some frilling/flaking of the emulsion at the very edges of the plates, and a few plates show a shiny band of silver close to the edges. The plates have been stored in the dark. Will they silver out more with exposure to light from the enlarger? Is there any benefit to refixing these plates before working with them? Thanks!

 

[Ian Grant]

It's atmospheric pollution or poor storage causing the silvering out. Printing them won't harm them further unless you leave in the carrier with the enlarger on for hours

Don't re-fix them, they need specialist treatment before anything like that is carried out, I spent some time salvaging damaged plates/negs and prints in the 70's for a museum.

Ian