Description
IMPORTANT COLLECTOR’S NOTE: The primary artifacts in this archive are original Natural Glass Plate Negatives. For cataloging and viewing clarity, the images in this listing are presented as Positive Proof Prints. The buyer will receive the physical glass negatives and a complete digital archive of the processed high-resolution Positive Proofs.
A definitive primary-source record of early 20th-century industrial failure. This auction is for the complete sequence of original Roebuck Blue Label silver-emulsion glass dry plates documenting a massive derailment on the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad (Main Line).
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The Archive: These plates were rescued from a private collection in Byron, NY, and have been archivally stabilized in protective sleeves.
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The Imagery: The series captures the disaster from multiple angles, including twisted steel coal cars, track damage, and the arrival of the heavy steam recovery and cleanup crews.
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The Digital Assets: In addition to the physical plates, the winner will receive high-resolution digital captures of each negative. These were produced using a custom high-CRI LED light table to extract the maximum tonal detail from the 115-year-old silver emulsion.
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Condition Note: Original 4×5 glass plates. Emulsion is stable with exceptional silver density. Plates have been cleaned of loose surface debris and housed in archival glassine.