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1929 Boston Fire Department Drill Headquarters Smoke Glass Plate Negative OOAK
Original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negative captured on May 28, 1929, documenting a specialized smoke ventilation training drill conducted by the Boston Fire Department at Fire Headquarters.
Photographed by Boston Herald-Traveler staff photographer Leslie Jones, this striking scene captures commanding officers and a squad of firefighters observing heavy, billowing smoke venting from a purpose-built training flue structure in the department's drill yard. Supervised on-scene by Assistant Chief Henry A. Fox and Captain Daniel Baker, the demonstration was staged to instruct department personnel on the vital tactical value of controlled structural ventilation during intense working fires.
The razor-sharp composition captures outstanding historical firefighting and uniform detail:
Boston Fire Department officers in double-breasted dress service coats, bell-crown caps, and official department badges standing attentively in the foreground.
Ranks of fire recruits and crew members lined up in working gear, denim trousers, and watch caps observing the demonstration.
A thick plume of dark chemical smoke pouring from the elevated metal vent ports of the outdoor brick drill kiln.
Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin glass plate negative, exposed directly in a press camera on May 28, 1929.
Archive Sleeve Included: Accompanied by its original vintage tan kraft darkroom filing sleeve, along with the original newsroom paper clipping/note with period handwritten notation: "Firemen drill at Fire Headquarters, showing the value of ventilating homes / May 28, 1929 / Asst. Chief Henry A. Fox and Capt. Daniel Baker were in charge."
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 antique condition. Heavy glass plate is structurally intact with no cracks or fractures. Emulsion exhibits superb tonal balance, deep rich contrast, and sharp detail throughout the facial portraits, uniforms, and smoke column. Displays minor perimeter silver mirroring along the outer borders, consistent with an authentic working 1929 press camera plate. Accompanied by both the original period kraft filing sleeve and the handwritten informational slip.
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)
