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1924 Boston Commonwealth Armory Field US Army Cavalry Horses Glass Negative OOAK
Original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negative captured in spring 1924: a magnificent equestrian and military action photograph: two powerful United States Army cavalry horses rearing on their hind legs and sparring in playful combat across the paddock field of the historic Commonwealth Armory on Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts.
Accompanied by its original period tan kraft darkroom morgue filing sleeve with evocative contemporary notes:
Historical & Visual Content:
Completed in 1915, the massive Commonwealth Armory on Commonwealth Avenue served as the headquarters and training depot for Massachusetts National Guard cavalry and field artillery units, including the 110th Cavalry ("The Commonwealth Cadets") and 101st Field Artillery. During the 1920s—in the twilight era of horse-mounted military service prior to mechanized armor—hundreds of cavalry mounts were stabled and exercised in the open paddocks and drill grounds behind the fortress-like armory.
Captured with split-second timing and sharp focal precision by Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones:
The Rearing Horses: The two central army mounts rise high on their hind quarters in full play, their muzzles touching as they playfully grapple by their halter straps. The high-speed press shutter freezes the muscular tension of their chests, arching necks, flared tails, and hooves hovering feet off the ground.
The Armory Paddock Setting: In the background, other remounts graze and rest peacefully along the post-and-rail timber fences, with utility poles, paddock chalk lines, and the industrial/residential silhouette of the Commonwealth Avenue corridor stretching across the horizon.
Authentic In-Camera Exposure: A pristine continuous-tone negative capturing individual hairs along the manes, leather tack rivets, and earth texture data-path-to-node="16">
Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin 4x5 glass plate negative, exposed directly in a press camera in spring 1924.
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, breaks, or fractures. The silver gelatin emulsion is remarkably clean, sharp, and stable throughout, capturing brilliant contrast between the horses' coats and the open spring sky. Displays only minor authentic edge silvering and faint handling 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)
