Old Judge "proof" slides and cabinets.......

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Posted By: davidcycleback

Holding some of the photos was an envelope with the name and address of a photography studio. Rob Lifson later researched the studio and learned that it was founded in something like 1912. While supporting that the photos aren't from the 1800s, the envelope obviously does not preclude them from being old. The envelope, photos and negatives were found as one package.

When several years ago I first saw two on eBay, I knew they weren't the 1880s as the mounts were from later years. I then examined two in person for Mastro Auctions, and the photos weren't albumen prints which they'd have to be to be original proofs. The goofiest one I saw in auction had an Allen & Ginter cigarettes ad on back-- which made no sense as Goodwin Co. and Allen & Ginter were competing companies. Old Judge wouldn't produce anything with an A & G ad on back, and A & G would not issue something with 'Goodwin & Co' in the front image. That would be like Coca Cola issuing a toy that said "Buy Pepsi" on back.