1931 Newton MA Horse Moves Victorian Mansion House Glass Negatives (2) OOAK For Sale

Pair of original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negatives captured in January 1931: an incredible architectural and engineering photojournalism sequence documenting a rare feat of early structural relocation: a massive three-story Second Empire Victorian mansion jacked onto cribbing and moved across a lot in Newton, Massachusetts, utilizing a single blanketed draft horse hitched to a timber ground capstan winch.

Accompanied by its original period tan kraft darkroom filing sleeve:

• The Outer Sleeve Inscription:

  "Horse moves House — / Newton, Mass. / Jan. 1931"

During the early 20th century, before mechanized tractor rigs became commonplace, building movers relied on age-old mechanical advantage. To move multi-ton timber-and-brick structures without shaking plaster walls or racking the framing, teams used jack screws, heavy wooden rollers, steel cables, and a rotating wooden horse-sweep (capstan winch) that pulled the structure forward inch by inch.

Captured on the spot in winter 1931 by Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones:

• The Victorian Mansion: A grand 19th-century Second Empire residence featuring a distinctive mansard roof with ornate dormer windows, tall sash fenestration, projecting entry bays, and corner pilasters. The entire ground floor sits cleanly lifted onto heavy timber cribbing and structural cross-beams over the excavated ground.

• The Draft Horse & Capstan Rig: In the immediate foreground stands a sturdy draft horse wearing a winter turnout blanket, harnessed directly to a vertical ground-anchored turning drum/capstan spool. As the horse walked in a slow circle around the post, the drum wound the heavy pulling cable to steadily winch the enormous residence along its track.

• Sequential Human Interest:

  • Plate 1: Captures the draft horse standing square beside the capstan mechanism, with a handler and pet dog observing from the left across the snow-dusted grounds.

  • Plate 2: Taken moments later from the same vantage point as the horse shifts forward and two workmen in winter jackets confer near the excavated foundation data-path-to-node="16">

  • Format: Pair of two (2) heavy antique silver gelatin 4x5 glass plate negatives, exposed directly in a press camera in January 1931.

  • Archive Ephemera Included: Accompanied by the original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing sleeve with period ink annotations.

  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:

  Both plates are in Very Good to Excellent antique condition. Heavy glass plates are structurally sound with no cracks, fractures, or perimeter glass breaks. The silver gelatin emulsions are exceptionally crisp, clean, and stable, capturing razor-sharp architectural moulding, wood grain, snow patches, and animal texture. 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 negatives 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)