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1920s Fort Standish Lovells Island Boston Harbor 10" Gun Negatives (2) OOAK
Pair of original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negatives: a premier American military and harbor defense documentary sequence: United States Army Coast Artillery Corps crews operating and live-firing a massive 10-inch disappearing rifle battery at historic Fort Standish on Lovells Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.
Accompanied by its original period tan kraft darkroom morgue filing sleeve:
Historical & Military Analysis:
Constructed between 1899 and 1907 under the Endicott Program, Fort Standish occupied the entirety of Lovells Island, guarding the South and President Roads channels into Boston Harbor. Its primary striking power lay in Battery Burbeck and Battery Whipple, which mounted massive 10-inch M1895 rifles on Buffington-Crozier disappearing carriages. Upon firing, the immense recoil drove the gun back and down behind towering reinforced concrete parapets to be reloaded safely below enemy sight and gunfire.
Captured on the front line with astonishing technical definition by Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones:
Plate 1 — The Live-Fire Blast: The 10-inch rifle elevated in firing position over the concrete parapet, unleashing an enormous, billowing wall of propellant blast smoke into the air. On the apron below, artillery officers and soldiers in overseas service caps, high-collared tunics, and puttees stand at the ready beside wash buckets, water hoses, and shell-handling trolleys.
Plate 2 — Loading & Servicing the Breech: An elevated perspective looking down into the reinforced circular emplacement pit. A dedicated loading crew in work denims and campaign caps uses a long wooden rammer pole to service the open breech of Gun No. 2, showcasing the colossal steel barrel, sighting bridges, traversing ring gear, and ammunition delivery hoists.
Specifications:
Format: Pair of two (2) heavy antique silver gelatin 4x5 glass plate negatives, exposed directly in a press camera, circa 1920s.
Archive Ephemera Included: Accompanied by the original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing envelope bearing contemporary cursive ink notations.
Please Note: This listing is for the two (2) original antique glass plate negatives and their 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 photographs, modern prints, or paper products of any kind are included with this purchase.
Condition:
Very Good to Excellent antique condition. Both heavy glass plates are structurally intact with no cracks, fractures, or perimeter breaks. The silver gelatin emulsions are remarkably clean, sharp, and stable throughout, capturing crisp textural definition across the board-formed concrete revetments, uniform weave, and cannon mechanics. Displays only minor authentic edge silvering 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)
