1924 Boston Mayor James Michael Curley Gov Cox World Flight Glass Negative OOAK For Sale

1924 Boston Mayor James Michael Curley Gov Cox World Flight Glass Negative OOAK

Original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negative captured on September 6, 1924: a legendary Massachusetts political and aviation portrait: legendary Boston Mayor James Michael Curley sharing a laugh on the tarmac with Republican Governor Channing H. Cox and Lieutenant Governor Alvan T. Fuller while awaiting the historic arrival of the 1924 World Flight biplanes at the Boston Airport.

Accompanied by its original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing sleeve and matching period handwritten archive slip:

• The Outer Envelope Inscription:

  Mayor Curley

• The Inner Paper Sleeve Inscription:

  Lt. Gov. Fuller Rep. / Mayor Curley - Dem / Gov. Cox. Rep

  Lt. Gov. Fuller, Mayor Curley & Gov. Cox at Airport when world fliers arrived in Boston. / Notice around world smile on each face. / 1924. / Two Republicans & 1 Democrat

Historical & Political Significance:

In September 1924, when the U.S. Army Air Service completed the first transatlantic and circumnavigation legs of the First Around-the-World Flight, the aviators landed their Douglas World Cruisers in East Boston to an ecstatic reception. The event famously brought fierce political rivals together under the reviewing stand canopy: the charismatic Democratic powerhouse James Michael Curley (\"The Rascal King\"), sitting alongside Republican Governor Channing H. Cox and wealthy auto magnate turned Lieutenant Governor Alvan T. Fuller (who would govern during the historic Sacco and Vanzetti trials).

Captured in an unscripted, jubilant moment by Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones:

• The \"Around the World\" Smiles: All three leaders are seated in wooden slat folding chairs, laughing in high spirits. Fuller sits at left in an overcoat holding his straw boater hat; Governor Cox sits in the center with overcoat and necktie, smiling broadly; and Mayor Curley sits at right in his speckled tweed coat, gesturing animatedly with his fedora across his knee.

• The Setting: Set directly on the wooden staging platform on the East Boston airfield, framed by draped patriotic American bunting and reviewing stand ladders.

• Press Camera Quality: Crisp continuous-tone rendering showing sharp textural details in the weave of Curley\'s tweed overcoat, polished Oxford shoes, woven straw skimmers, and facial character lines.

Specifications:

• Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin 4x5 glass plate negative, exposed directly in a press camera on September 6, 1924.

• Archive Ephemera Included: Accompanied by the original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing envelope and the matching period handwritten archive insert.

Please Note: This listing is for the original antique glass plate negative, its period paper archive sleeve, and the inner protective paper insert only. Any positive photographic images shown in this listing are modern inverted digital scans provided solely as a visual representation to show what finished photographs print 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. Heavy glass plate is structurally sound with no cracks, fractures, or perimeter breaks. The silver gelatin emulsion is clean, crisp, and stable throughout, capturing outstanding detail in the clothing textures and expressive portraits. Displays only minor authentic edge silvering strictly along the extreme outer borders outside the primary image area. Accompanied by the original period kraft morgue filing sleeve and handwritten insert.

The glass plate negative measures 4 x 5In.
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