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1921 Boston Harbor Immigrants Steamer Mayflower Deer Island Glass Negative OOAK
Remarkable, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negative captured on June 11, 1921, by legendary Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones, documenting European steerage immigrants transferring across an arched gangplank aboard the harbor vessel Mayflower amidst federal immigration detention in Boston Harbor.
Taken just weeks after the signing of the Emergency Quota Act of May 1921—which established America's first numeric immigration quotas and ignited severe border bottlenecks—this poignant documentary image captures the tense, historic transfer of detained passenger families arriving at the Port of Boston:
European immigrant families, mothers holding swaddled infants, and young children in caps and knit sweaters walking across an arched wooden gangplank.
A traveler carrying a large woven willow wicker luggage basket, accompanied by plainclothes federal agents, dock stewards, and harbor officials overseeing the boarding process.
The deck structure, railings, lifeboats, and life raft boldly lettered "MAYFLOWER" on the foreground transfer boat, with packed open decks of passengers lining the ocean steamer behind.
The negative exhibits stunning documentary sharpness, human pathos, and exceptional tonal depth:
Intricate detail on the woven baskets, period heavy wool traveling coats, headscarves, and children's boots.
Authentic architectural and nautical elements of 1920s ocean liner and Boston Harbor tender craft.
Crisp, uncropped first-generation camera-negative exposure retaining deep shadow detail and clean highlights.
Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin glass plate negative, measuring approximately 4x5 inches, exposed directly in Leslie Jones's press camera on June 11, 1921.
Archive Sleeve Included: Accompanied by the original period tan kraft darkroom filing sleeve bearing contemporary newsroom calligraphy in vintage ink detailing the event:"[Immi]grants defy [police] & country, and riot call for 500 police, arrived in time rushing them to Deer Island till Washington decided about them landing. June 11, 1921."
Please Note: This listing is for the original antique glass plate negative and its period paper archive sleeve only. Any positive photographic images shown in this listing are modern inverted digital scans provided solely as a visual representation to show what a finished photograph prints like. No physical paper photograph, modern print, or paper product of any kind is included with this purchase.
Condition: Very Good to Excellent antique condition. The heavy glass plate is solid, stable, and completely intact with no cracks, fractures, or perimeter breaks. The emulsion is exceptionally sharp and clean, displaying beautiful tonal range and clarity throughout the passengers, ship rigging, and harbor setting. Displays standard authentic edge silver mirroring and minor perimeter handling wear outside the primary composition consistent with an authentic 1921 working newspaper press negative. Accompanied by the original historically annotated kraft archive sleeve.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)
