Re: Explosions

Alex Nanson (alec@norlex.demon.co.uk)
Sun, 08 Feb 1998 23:05:42 +0000

In message <41835caa.34d91350@aol.com>, ScullOster@aol.com writes
>The combination of ether, high grade alcohol and gun cotton are all explosive
>materials used by wet-plate collodion photographers. A dropped bottle of
>collodion or ether would be most likely. Open flames were used for drying
>plates.

Yes, that could well be the explanation for the demise of the
photographer in the film. The question would appear to be then:- Did he
drop the bottle accidentally, or did the villain jog his elbow and beat
a hasty retreat?

>Darkrooms in the wet-plate era usually had a red or amber window, not a safe-
>light. Safelights, I believe, made their appearance in the dryplate era
>(1880s).
>

What did Victorian wet plate photographers do in the dark evenings?

Alex.

-- 
Alex Nanson
alec@norlex.demon.co.uk
Gloucester. UK