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1919 Boston MA Franklin Field Biplane Airplane Flight Landing Glass Negative OOAK
Original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negative captured in 1919: a dramatic post-World War I aviation action photograph: an early military-style biplane banking low on final approach just feet above the turf of Franklin Field in Dorchester, Massachusetts, framed against the historic neighborhood skyline.
Accompanied by its original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing sleeve:
Historical & Photographic Content:
In the years immediately following the Armistice of World War I, surplus training aircraft like the Curtiss JN-4 Jenny introduced the American public to the thrill of flight. Before municipal airports were formally constructed, early aviators and barnstormers routinely utilized municipal park meadows, fairgrounds, and athletic complexes—such as Franklin Field in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood—as makeshift landing strips for public demonstrations, passenger hops, and emergency landings.
Captured with remarkable split-second timing and motion clarity by Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones:
The Biplane in Flight: The dual-wing open-cockpit aircraft glides through the air just above tree level heading straight toward the camera. The fast shutter speed freezes the biplane's wire interplane struts, kingposts, dual-wheel landing undercarriage, and fuselage, with motion blur across the spinning front propeller.
Franklin Field & Urban Backdrop: Below stretches the wide expanse of the Franklin Field greensward. In the background, rows of multi-story brick apartment buildings and triple-deckers line the avenue, fitted with striped canvas sun awnings across their windows, shaded by a mature summer tree line.
True Press Field Work: A continuous-tone in-camera exposure capturing subtle cumulus clouds, delicate grass blades, and crisp architectural rooflines.
Specifications:
Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin 4x5 glass plate negative, exposed directly in a press camera in 1919.
Archive Ephemera Included: Accompanied by the original vintage tan kraft newspaper darkroom morgue filing envelope.
Please Note: This listing is for the original antique glass plate negative and its period paper archive sleeve only. Any positive photographic images shown in this listing are modern inverted digital scans provided solely as a visual representation to show what finished photographs print like. No physical paper photograph, modern print, or paper product of any kind is included with this purchase.
Condition:
Very Good to Excellent antique condition. Heavy glass plate is structurally sound with no cracks, fractures, or perimeter breaks. The silver gelatin emulsion is clean, crisp, and stable throughout, capturing outstanding detail in the flying aircraft, sky, and neighborhood architecture. Displays only minor authentic edge silvering and edge wear strictly along the extreme outer borders outside the primary image area. Accompanied by the original period kraft morgue filing sleeve.
The glass plate negative measures 4 x 5In.
If you collect glass negatives, please check out our collection in our store. We are currently listing thousands of original glass photo negatives from this DJD collection through the remainder of the year. Follow our store, and feel free to reach out about any questions about the negatives in this collection.
Ships with extreme care in archival materials to ensure safe transit. Feel free to reach out with any requests or questions).
Combined shipping is available (with other glass negatives)
