NonSports Forum

Net54baseball.com
Welcome to Net54baseball.com. These forums are devoted to both Pre- and Post- war baseball cards and vintage memorabilia, as well as other sports. There is a separate section for Buying, Selling and Trading - the B/S/T area!! If you write anything concerning a person or company your full name needs to be in your post or obtainable from it. . Contact the moderator at leon@net54baseball.com should you have any questions or concerns. When you click on links to eBay on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. Enjoy!
Net54baseball.com
Net54baseball.com
T206s on eBay
Babe Ruth Cards on eBay
t206 Ty Cobb on eBay
Ty Cobb Cards on eBay
Lou Gehrig Cards on eBay
Baseball T201-T217 on eBay
Baseball E90-E107 on eBay
T205 Cards on eBay
Baseball Postcards on eBay
Goudey Cards on eBay
Baseball Memorabilia on eBay
Baseball Exhibit Cards on eBay
Baseball Strip Cards on eBay
Baseball Baking Cards on eBay
Sporting News Cards on eBay
Play Ball Cards on eBay
Joe DiMaggio Cards on eBay
Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
Bowman 1951-1955 on eBay
Football Cards on eBay

Go Back   Net54baseball.com Forums > Net54baseball Main Forum - WWII & Older Baseball Cards > Net54baseball Sports (Primarily) Vintage Memorabilia Forum incl. Game Used

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-10-2014, 07:49 AM
varsitycollectibles's Avatar
varsitycollectibles varsitycollectibles is offline
member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 147
Default Seeking Help from Photo Collectors

I picked up an item off eBay that led me to wonder when photos started having a glossy finish. Any feedback or direction is welcomed.

Sam West
__________________
Always looking for Bob Gibson and Stan Musial.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/shopvarsitycollectibles
Twitter: @VarsityCollect
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-10-2014, 09:33 AM
Michael B Michael B is offline
Mîçhæ£ ßöw£ß¥
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,828
Default

I have photos in my archives from circa 1910 that have a glossy finish. I also have many press photos from the 1920's and 1930's that are glossy. If this photo is from the late 1930's or so as described, it is well into the era of glossy photos.
__________________
'Integrity is what you do when no one is looking'

"The man who can keep a secret may be wise, but he is not half as wise as the man with no secrets to keep”
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-10-2014, 09:54 AM
varsitycollectibles's Avatar
varsitycollectibles varsitycollectibles is offline
member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 147
Default

Thanks for the reply Michael B. Very helpful.

How about others? How far back does glossy go?
__________________
Always looking for Bob Gibson and Stan Musial.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/shopvarsitycollectibles
Twitter: @VarsityCollect
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-10-2014, 01:27 PM
thecatspajamas's Avatar
thecatspajamas thecatspajamas is offline
L@nce Fit.tro
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Franklin, TN
Posts: 2,432
Default

Do you mean glossy, as in the front surface is slick and reflects light but the back is plain paper, or resin-coated, as in the whole thing has a slick plastic feel to it (front and back) such as most modern photos?

Not trying to be nit-picky. It's just that I've found the term "glossy" means different things to different people. It's probably easier to show the photo in question, front and back, and go from there.
__________________
Ebay Store and Weekly Auctions
Web Store with better selection and discounts
Polite corrections for unidentified and misidentified photos appreciated. Rude corrections also appreciated, but less so.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-10-2014, 02:32 PM
varsitycollectibles's Avatar
varsitycollectibles varsitycollectibles is offline
member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 147
Default

CatsPJS, the item that sparked the question is one that I just purchased from your store. Haha. The link is in my original post.

As you may already know, it's glossy on the front and shows adhesive residue on the back. It's only the second photo I've purchased and it just made me wonder.

Love the item and your shipping was very fast. Much appreciated.
__________________
Always looking for Bob Gibson and Stan Musial.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/shopvarsitycollectibles
Twitter: @VarsityCollect
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-10-2014, 03:38 PM
thecatspajamas's Avatar
thecatspajamas thecatspajamas is offline
L@nce Fit.tro
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Franklin, TN
Posts: 2,432
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by varsitycollectibles View Post
CatsPJS, the item that sparked the question is one that I just purchased from your store. Haha. The link is in my original post.

As you may already know, it's glossy on the front and shows adhesive residue on the back. It's only the second photo I've purchased and it just made me wonder.

Love the item and your shipping was very fast. Much appreciated.
Ooops, guess I should have checked the link before speaking

So if I may remove my foot from my mouth and answer my own question, it is not a resin-coated print. Like most black-and-white photographs of the era, it is a gelatin silver print, the process for which was invented in the 1870's but not in commercial use in the U.S. until about the mid-1890's (Kodak adopted it in 1900). The "glossy" prints you asked about became popular in about the 1920's (according to Wikipedia), with earlier photo papers having more of a low-gloss and textured appearance.

Hope that helps

I might add that David Cycleback, also here on Net54, is an excellent resource for questions regarding photographic processes and paper types.
__________________
Ebay Store and Weekly Auctions
Web Store with better selection and discounts
Polite corrections for unidentified and misidentified photos appreciated. Rude corrections also appreciated, but less so.

Last edited by thecatspajamas; 04-10-2014 at 03:44 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-10-2014, 03:49 PM
varsitycollectibles's Avatar
varsitycollectibles varsitycollectibles is offline
member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 147
Default

Haha. I just happened to realize that your user name matched your eBay name.

That's exactly the kind of info I was curious about. Thanks for your replies. Look forward to adding to the collection soon.
__________________
Always looking for Bob Gibson and Stan Musial.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/shopvarsitycollectibles
Twitter: @VarsityCollect
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-10-2014, 08:45 PM
Michael B Michael B is offline
Mîçhæ£ ßöw£ß¥
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,828
Default

I posted my original reply while I was at work. Now that I am at home I have checked my archives. Without doing too much searching I came up with two photos dated the same day that give a pretty good idea of how early glossy photos were reproduced.

The first one is from Gilliams News Syndicate and has a dated caption sheet attached to the back of June 17, 1908. This is Bill Horr, 1908 Olympic medal winner and College Football Hall of Famer.

The second one has a George Grantham Bain backstamp and a date stamp of June 17, 1908. I also have an original studio print of the second one with no stamping that has a matte finish. Bain probably did not take the original as he scratched an id on his negative and the original has no such markings. This is Lloyd Jones, graduated from Penn in 1907 with a degree in engineering. 1908 Olympian.

I have other photos that are absolutely dateable to 1900 and 1903 that have a non-glossy/matte finish. Several others that may fall between 1903 and 1908 that are also non-glossy/matte. I hope this is what you are looking for.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg 78571 bill horr.jpg (76.4 KB, 147 views)
File Type: jpg jones l.jpg (73.5 KB, 148 views)
__________________
'Integrity is what you do when no one is looking'

"The man who can keep a secret may be wise, but he is not half as wise as the man with no secrets to keep”

Last edited by Michael B; 04-10-2014 at 10:39 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-10-2014, 10:30 PM
Runscott's Avatar
Runscott Runscott is offline
Belltown Vintage
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 10,651
Default

I have glossy albumens from the late 1800's. Most are mat finish, but some are glossy - the glossy ones don't look as nice in my opinion.
__________________
$co++ Forre$+
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-10-2014, 11:37 PM
prewarsports prewarsports is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,547
Default

In general...

Get the photo wet in a small spot and as it dries if the "gloss" gets sticky to the touch then you have a gelatin photo which means that it is at least somewhat old. It at least helps eliminate the photo from being of modern production. If you tilt it to the light and the black portions of the photo have a super shiny (silvery look) that will also help determine its age as well. Otherwise its almost impossible unless you have it in hand for evaluation.

Sam West Photo looks like a restrike (from a copy negative) made later by a collector seeking autographs.
__________________
Be sure to check out my site www.RMYAuctions.com

Last edited by prewarsports; 04-10-2014 at 11:40 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-12-2014, 11:35 AM
varsitycollectibles's Avatar
varsitycollectibles varsitycollectibles is offline
member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 147
Default

Prewar, does this water test have a negative effect on the photo?

Thanks again for the information and discussion.
__________________
Always looking for Bob Gibson and Stan Musial.
http://www.ebay.com/usr/shopvarsitycollectibles
Twitter: @VarsityCollect
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-12-2014, 02:09 PM
thecatspajamas's Avatar
thecatspajamas thecatspajamas is offline
L@nce Fit.tro
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Franklin, TN
Posts: 2,432
Default

One way that I have found to easily identify resin-coated papers (which were introduced in 1968) is to run the back of your fingernail along the back of the photo (think of it as a light scrape) and then look at the test area in reflected light. If it's RC paper, you can typically see a difference in the reflectivity of the "scrape" line vs the area around it. (I know I know, but it sounds a lot more destructive than it actually is). If it's not resin-coated (in other words, the back is just uncoated paper), you won't see any difference in reflectivity (unless you have greasy fingernails I guess).

Vince, I might also add that if the photo is in any way not what you expected, you may certainly return it for a full refund. In looking back at my description (which was written quite some time ago), I see a few details that I would have stated differently to avoid any confusion if I were writing up the same photo today. I'm just not in the habit of revisiting every item I have listed each time I tweak my typical auction write-ups
__________________
Ebay Store and Weekly Auctions
Web Store with better selection and discounts
Polite corrections for unidentified and misidentified photos appreciated. Rude corrections also appreciated, but less so.

Last edited by thecatspajamas; 04-12-2014 at 02:10 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-12-2014, 02:22 PM
prewarsports prewarsports is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,547
Default

No, a tiny bit of water will be fine. just lick your finger or put less than a drop on it, wipe it pretty much immediately off and see if the spot is sticky or not.
__________________
Be sure to check out my site www.RMYAuctions.com
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-12-2014, 06:24 PM
drcy's Avatar
drcy drcy is offline
David Ru.dd Cycl.eback
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,466
Default

If the original post is about the eBay snapshot, a 1940 photo can definitely have a glossy front. Glossy fronts go a lot further earlier than that. The back of would be matte, like regular paper.

Last edited by drcy; 04-12-2014 at 06:45 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply



Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Seeking opinions from "Baseball Game" collectors... thekingofclout Net54baseball Sports (Primarily) Vintage Memorabilia Forum incl. Game Used 2 12-02-2010 12:13 PM
Seeking New/Updated Photos for Collectors Showcase vintagesportscollector Net54baseball Sports (Primarily) Vintage Memorabilia Forum incl. Game Used 4 03-19-2010 09:31 PM
Looking for input from Photo Collectors Robbie Net54baseball Sports (Primarily) Vintage Memorabilia Forum incl. Game Used 19 03-07-2010 07:30 AM
Wire Photo Collectors Archive Net54baseball Sports (Primarily) Vintage Memorabilia Forum incl. Game Used 10 02-02-2008 11:01 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:17 PM.


ebay GSB