At 05:23 1/17/00 , Charlie Loeven asked:
>Is it because Arron bros. sells mostly 8x10 frames? <GG>
I'm pulling this out of deep memory from some time ago, so it might be a
little faulty. The person who told me this could have been pulling on my
chain too. From what I remember, 8x10 dates to the large format view
cameras during the last quarter of the 1800's when both "wet" and "dry"
process used glass plates. Early on, photographers had to coat these
themselves with their own home-made emulsions and needed *flat* glass
plates. Eastman hadn't started his "dry plate" plant in Rochester yet.
The cheapest, most common source for reasonably flat glass plates found
nearly everywhere was the nearest general store. One of the common sizes
for window panes was 8x10. With the grain structure of the emulsions they
used, you wouldn't want much smaller either.
I like your Arron Bros. thought and was sorely tempted to tack on at the
end: "Many late 19th Century windows were made by nailing Arron Bros. 8x10
frames together." <GGG>
-- John
Early large format and pinhole photography saying:
"f/32 and be there . . . 40 minutes early."
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