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1925 Flapper Bathing Beauties Wool Swimsuits Glass Plate Negative Beach OOAK
Original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negative captured circa 1925 by celebrated Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones, documenting four stylish young flapper-era women posing in their period wool swimsuits outside a seaside beach bathhouse along the New England coast at L Street Beach in South Boston, MA.
Exposed with sharp documentary clarity, this classic Roaring Twenties summer scene captures four smiling young bathers standing arm-in-arm on the wooden boardwalk deck. Each woman wears an authentic mid-1920s knit bathing costume showcasing the rapidly evolving beachwear styles of the period:
Dropped-waist knit tank suits, one-piece tunic rompers, belted wool swimsuits, and beach slippers.
An athletic club/school embroidered monogram crest ("E") proudly featured on the center tank top.
Bobbed flapper hairstyles, bathing caps, and smiling expressions capturing 1920s youth culture.
At the far left doorway, an observer in a sharp dark business suit and straw boater hat peeks out from the cedar-shingled bathhouse.
The negative exhibits exceptional first-generation optical acuity, rich mid-tone separation, and deep contrast:
Crisp textures on the wool knits, cedar shingle siding, and sunlit boardwalk planks.
Natural, direct camera exposure free from modern reproduction artifacts.
Sharp facial details and clear highlights reflecting off the sunlit seaside deck.
Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin glass plate negative, measuring approximately 4x5 inches, exposed directly in Leslie Jones's press camera circa 1925.
Archive Sleeve Included: Accompanied by its original period tan kraft darkroom filing sleeve bearing contemporary newsroom notations:"Old 'Kids' / Bathers".
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 a finished photograph prints 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. The heavy glass plate is structurally sound, stable, and completely intact with no cracks, breaks, or fractures. The emulsion is clean, crisp, and well preserved with superb sharpness across the bathers, garments, and architectural background. Shows standard authentic edge silver mirroring and minor perimeter handling wear outside the primary composition consistent with an authentic working 1925 newspaper press negative. Accompanied by the original annotated kraft archive 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)
