Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Glass Plates

Above, a 1954 view of the storage arrangements for photographic glass plates at the Library of Congress. Many of the 19th century images preserved by means of this extinct technology are available from any terminal in the world nowadays as scans, a dream of access no librarian in 1954 could anticipate.

Soldier with Captured Horse, 1860-65

Family Group, 1893

Cricket Eleven, 1855-65

Patent Office, Washington DC, 1861-65

Treasury Office, Washington DC, 1861-65

Chief Ouray & Chipeta, 1880

General & Mrs J.B. Ricketts, 1855-65

Governor Yates, 1855-65

Conspirator Samuel Arnold, 1865

Samuel Arnold (immediately above) withdrew at an early stage from the plot against Lincoln. This fact saved him from execution. He served a prison sentence instead, was eventually pardoned, and lived into old age telling stories of his adventures.