Odd 8x10 holders

[ron3865]

I got a lot of holders a while back and in the group were 2 wooden holders in very good condition,..but they had no bottom hinge. Film slips in fine up to a point. There is about 1/8" that won't go in. Looks just as if you tried to load a "regular" holder with the hinge closed. The only mark on the holder is a stamp..."PLATE R.O.C. 8x10" Fiber dark slides with wooden tops. Anyone know what I have?

 

[ernest b.]

"Rochester Optical Company" holders for glass plates.

Although plateholders were not designed to hold film, "film sheaths" were subsequently made to allow its use.

If the interiors of your plateholders have the general appearance of a film-holder interior (i.e., a flat metal back with folded-over edges on the sides, as you describe)--then almost certainly they have film sheaths installed, and that's what you're seeing.

The sheaths are meant to be loaded with film first, then inserted into or removed from the plateholder just as a glass plate would be. Most of the later plateholder designs have a leaf spring inside the wooden frame--at either the top or the bottom--to provide tension to hold the plate/sheath in position. By pushing inwardly with a fingernail (pushing lengthwise, on the opposite end of the plate/sheath), thus compressing the spring, you can get that end (the end you're pushing) to clear the wooden frame. Then you just lift it up and out.

 

[ron3865]

The sheaths are meant to be loaded with film first, then inserted into or removed from the plateholder just as a glass plate would be. Most of the later plateholder designs have a leaf spring inside the wooden frame--at either the top or the bottom--to provide tension to hold the plate/sheath in position. By pushing inwardly with a fingernail (pushing lengthwise, on the opposite end of the plate/sheath), thus compressing the spring, you can get that end (the end you're pushing) to clear the wooden frame. Then you just lift it up and out.
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That's what I thought also but no luck...no spring. I see no way of removing the sheath as the bottom is tight against the wood and the top film channel is just as tight. Trere is slight (1/32") movement side to side but nothing top to bottom. Although these must be quite old they appear to be unused and I'm wondering if there was a mfg. defect?

 

[athanasius80]

That is wierd. If you're ever out on Orange County I'd be happy to take a look at them.

 

[ron3865]

That is wierd. If you're ever out on Orange County I'd be happy to take a look at them.

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If that's Orange County, Calif. it will work as I'm in Corona.

 

[Whiteymorange]

Are these holders also 3/4" wider than normal and missing the ridge that locks in regular film holders to the camera back? If so, you have the holders for a Rochester Universal. They may also fit other Rochester cameras from the turn of the last century (approx. 1896-1904) The bottom has a spring that is depressed by the inserted plate, or sheath, which then clicks down under the top inside of the holder by just enough to hold it in. The semi-circular cut-out on the top of of the sheath is there to allow you to reach in, push the sheath down toward the bottom of the holder and then lift the whole thing out. PITA, but there it is.

 

[ron3865]

Are these holders also 3/4" wider than normal and missing the ridge that locks in regular film holders to the camera back? If so, you have the holders for a Rochester Universal. They may also fit other Rochester cameras from the turn of the last century (approx. 1896-1904) The bottom has a spring that is depressed by the inserted plate, or sheath, which then clicks down under the top inside of the holder by just enough to hold it in. The semi-circular cut-out on the top of of the sheath is there to allow you to reach in, push the sheath down toward the bottom of the holder and then lift the whole thing out. PITA, but there it is.

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I'd heard this befre an it didn't work. Now, with you suggesting it again I got the holder out and with a butter knife pushed on the "hinge" end of the sheath. Much to my surprise, I heard a little snap an the spring gave to the pressure and the sheath came out! I tried it several more times just using my fingers and it's a real pain in the ass but works witthe knife. I think l'll set these aside for emergency use, but at least now I know how they work. It's no wonder these things look unused. They were clean enough to be sold as new.

As fo their shape,...they looked exactly the same as all the other wood holders I have and fit the Korona camera as they should.

Thanks for the tip!