Found Exposed Film in Vintage Folder

[bud007]

Picked up an early 1950's 6x6 folder for parts, and was surprised when I found an exposed roll of film in it. It was completely wound through, but not sealed... like someone had rolled it to completion and never bothered to open the camera back and remove it. I suspect it came from an estate and nobody bothered to look at it too much - just put it up for auction - untested/for parts. The film was Kodak Super XX which I understand was produced from 1940-1960, so fits the time frame of the camera.

Checked it out in a changing bag, and the backing was pretty stuck to the film. Not so much that it wouldn't separate, but it was definitely kinda stuck together. I went ahead and wound it onto a reel and figured I'd develop it. I didn't overthink it - just put it in D76 full strength for 10 minutes to see if there was anything on it. Pre-rinse water was pretty clean, which I didn't take as good sign.

In general, the negatives strip came out pretty dark and blotchy, with some weird spotting scattered throughout. There were only three images - all in the middle of the roll. This was kinda confusing to me, but when I got the images scanned, I realized they were double and triple exposed. So maybe a winding problem or some user confusion on how the camera worked.



Attached is the best image of the three. Seems like it could easily be 1950's. Things I noticed:

- a pack of Lucky Strikes and light on the desk
- an interesting tattoo - kinda looks like a trojan horse
- all white outfit? - I'm assuming this was taken at work based on the industrial appearing door
- some kind of name tag
- two or three other images overlayed here

If I had it to do all over again, I think I'd maybe go 12-15 minutes for the development time.

 

[Don_ih]

It came out pretty good - if you knew that guy, you'd definitely recognize him.

I think the less-clear guy may also be him (but maybe someone else) from a second exposure. The clear guy's arm is resting on a shelf that goes through that guy's head...

 

[loccdor]

Very interesting picture. It seems from the desk that he may be designing cards. It does look like his job. He has a big ring and a small watch. I see an old telephone. His desktop looks designed for work with paper, he seems to have a book of photos, I see a compass on the desk. There's what looks like a hole punch too.

The pack of cigs, lighter, and mug are repeated in the same orientation on the top and bottom, so there are 2 shots from the same place, I think there are 2 men in the shot, as the most visible guy is leaning on the other guy's desk.

Looks like possibly a 3rd man, on the left, you only see an arm leaning on the radiator wearing a dark wristwatch.

 

[pentaxuser]

Yes I'd say 1950s and probably early 50s based on the garb in U.S. films we saw in the U.K. The all white garb suggests in his earlier years he might have been one of a group on a Pacific island that sang "There Is Nothing Like A Dame"

pentaxuser

 

[Sirius Glass]

The film came out surprisingly well!

Welcome to Photrio!​

 

[bud007]

I was thinking maybe a hospital worker, given the white garb, and somewhat of a name tag it appears on the jacket over the chair.

I do see those "cards" on the desk, and that's a good thought on some kind of graphics design.

I think that tattoo is pretty crazy:

 

[qqphot]

maybe he was in the navy?

 

[mshchem]

LSMFT (Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco), so round, so firm, so fully packed!

Looks like he has an olive drab webbed belt. My guess is an orderly, pharmacist etc. White jacket has a name tag. Post WWII, but the non-filter cigarettes indicate late 40's to late 50's.

 

[Daniela]

I see an M.S. right under his arm resting on the desk. Who knows if that could give a clue.

Good job, OP. You got great details and the man is recognizable

 

[Romanko]

Kodak Super-XX was introduced in 1938. My Kodak Films brochure published by Kodak Australasia in 1956 has data sheets for Super-XX only in sheet film formats. Roll film formats must have been discontinued by 1956 (at least in Australia).
A few years ago I developed a roll of Super-XX type 120 that was shot in Karachi, Pakistan. Here's an image from the middle of the roll. It is 4.5 x 6 so there's more fog towards the left and right edges of this frame.

 

[relistan]

Looks triple-exposed to me. Lucky to get such a good image from that!