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1928 West Lynn Mass Fatal Auto Car Wreck Model-T Tree Crash Glass Negative OOAK
Original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique gelatin silver glass negative captured on November 27, 1928: a gripping, visceral record of early American motoring hazards and Boston North Shore history: the mangled wreckage of an enclosed 1920s automobile violently wedged between twin hardwood trees along a stone wall in West Lynn, Massachusetts.
Accompanied by its original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing sleeve with full contemporary newsroom documentation:
Historical Context & Visual Analysis:
During the late 1920s, the rapid proliferation of motor vehicles on unlit, curving regional roads without modern safety features led to a dramatic surge in severe roadway accidents. This stark newsroom field plate captures the raw aftermath of an early winter collision in West Lynn, where driver George C. Wright lost his life and his sister was gravely injured.
The high-resolution camera negative preserves incredible mechanical and situational detail:
The Smashed Automobile: An upright enclosed 1920s coupe/sedan violently crushed head-on between two large tree trunks, showing the shattered radiator shell, accordion-crumpled hood, exposed cylinder head, wiring harness, wooden-spoke artillery wheels, buckled frame rail, and severed windshield glass.
1928 Massachusetts License Plate: A clearly legible period state registration plate stamped \"1928 / MASS\" bolted to the twisted front crossbar.
Roadside Atmosphere: The vehicle rests on a slope of fallen autumn leaves and light dusting of snow beside a dry-laid New England fieldstone boundary wall, with an overcoat discarded across the fender.
Tonal Fidelity: Tremendous continuous-tone silver gelatin tonal range resolving the coarse bark texture on the tree trunks, wet road sheen, metallic crumple folds, and deep woods in the background.
Specifications:
Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin press glass negative, exposed directly in-camera on November 27, 1928.
Archive Ephemera: Accompanied by the original period tan kraft darkroom morgue filing envelope.
Please Note: This listing is for the original antique glass 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 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. The heavy glass plate is structurally sound, stable, and completely intact with no cracks, fractures, breaks, or chips through the glass body. The silver gelatin emulsion is remarkably clean, sharp, and firmly adhered, retaining razor-sharp focus on the mechanical details of the engine, wheels, and tree trunks. Authentic unexposed handling borders remain preserved along the outer glass rebate margins. Accompanied by the original period kraft morgue filing 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)
