1921 Boston HP Hood Ice Cream Wagon Crash Kings Chapel Glass Plate Negative OOAK For Sale

1921 Boston HP Hood Ice Cream Wagon Crash Kings Chapel Glass Plate Negative OOAK

• H.P. Hood & Sons Ice Cream Delivery Wagon Crash Type: Glass Plate Negative (Original Camera-Exposed Negative)

• Subject:/ Urban Accident

• Date: August 1921

• Location: Corner of Tremont St & School St, King’s Chapel, Boston, Massachusetts

• Format / Size: Approx. 4\" x 5\"

• Original Sleeves Included: Yes (Outer production envelope & original handwritten linen card sleeve)

Description

Overview & ProvenanceOffered for sale is a rare, original camera-exposed 4\" x 5\" glass plate negative capturing the aftermath of a dramatic runaway delivery wagon crash in downtown Boston in August 1921.

The scene documents an H.P. Hood & Sons Ice Cream delivery wagon that broke loose and careened down the steep grade of Beacon Hill, violently smashing into the historic iron perimeter fence of King\'s Chapel Burying Ground at the busy intersection of Tremont Street and School Street.

Note on Status: This is an original camera negative exposed directly on the scene by a veteran Boston press photojournalist. It displays natural camera-holder rebate margins, authentic depth of field, and continuous-tone silver gradation, free of copy-stand halftones or secondary reproduction artifacts.

Original Envelope & Sleeve Transcriptions

The negative is housed in its original historical news archive filing packaging, featuring:

• Outer Brown Production Envelope:

  • Name: Ice Cream Wagon

  • Order: Wreck

  • Upper right margin retains period red grease-pencil archive routing.

• Inner Cardboard/Linen Sleeve:

  • Fully handwritten narrative in period ink:

Image & Historical Context

This striking street photojournalism piece captures early 20th-century Boston street commercial life and public mishap. The heavy, enclosed Hood delivery wagon—loaded with massive metal ice cream milk cans visible through the rear doors—sits wedged onto the sidewalk curb after crashing through the fence pickets.

Notable commercial and urban details include:

• Ornamental period wrought-iron street signage reading \"TREMONT ST\" and \"SCHOOL ST.\"

• Intricate trade graphics on the second response wagon bearing the classic circular trademark \"H.P. HOOD & SONS\" with the central cow portrait logo.

• Painted side advertising proclaiming \"Hood\'s Ice Cream / Old Fashioned...\"

• Onlookers, newsboys, and delivery workmen inspecting the damaged wheels and bent iron railings directly beside King\'s Chapel.

(The positive inversion preview image is provided solely for visual clarity to show detail, contrast, and subject resolution; the physical item offered for sale is the antique glass plate negative and its original packaging).

Physical Condition Assessment

• Glass: Complete, solid, and structurally intact. There are no cracks, hairline fractures, or structural repairs across the image field. Shallow edge flaking and typical darkroom margin chipping are present along the perimeter rebates, well outside the primary composition.

• Emulsion Layer: Excellent density and tonal range with rich shadow definition under the wagon chassis and crisp resolution of the signage, street textures, and spectator attire. Surface shows only minor, light peripheral silver mirroring confined strictly to the extreme glass margins.

The glass plate negative measures 4 x 5In.
If you collect glass negatives, please check out our collection in our store. We are currently listing thousands of original glass photo negatives from this DJD collection through the remainder of the year. Follow our store, and feel free to reach out about any questions about the negatives in this collection.
Ships with extreme care in archival materials to ensure safe transit. Feel free to reach out with any requests or questions).
Combined shipping is available (with other glass negatives)