The oldest photos ever posted on PH?

[simpo two]

Back in the 40s or 50s my father bought a couple of old-style wooden printing frames in a second-hand shop.

When sorting out stuff after he died, I found they had glass negatives in them (not his)... and thanks to the magic of digital this is one of them:

Negative:



Positive:



And with the contrast beefed up a bit:



Anyone like to hazard a place and date?

>> Edited by simpo two on Wednesday 7th December 13:19

[rsvmilly]

I'd imagine the early spyshots of the Veyron would probably pre-date those . It probably only had 100hp in those days.

As to your pics, they look turn-of-the-century, although there isn't really anything good enough to reference them.

[406tm]

Brancaster or that area of Norfolk around 1910

[shadytree]

1929 , an April Thursday afternoon about half past four ?

>> Edited by shadytree on Wednesday 7th December 13:22

[_dobbo_]

Can't you view the exif data to find out?

[beano500]

_dobbo_ said:

Can't you view the exif data to find out?

[simpo two]

I see the classroom is getting noisy

Well, my interpretation was that the boat's sails look a bit Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, and there's what looks like a pre-dreadnought in the b/g making it 1890-1910. The number of large ships means it must be near a port or harbour.



>> Edited by simpo two on Wednesday 7th December 14:29

[bacchus180]

funny isn't it... we all crave high resolution... no noise no grain.. retouched so there are no blemishes ...yet theres something romantic and beautiful about old plate images... it gets you imagination running and you look for the story in the image..

think the contrast overdoes it a touch. maybe knock it back a little

[beano500]

Difficult, isn't it?

Could be Dubai 20 years ago, Cadiz 50 years ago or the Thames 100 years ago...



Guess the first thing to do is narrow down the boat style.


(Which, although it looks vaguely middle eastern, would knock out my Dubai line)

[cy88]

I think a Spanish / Arab sail set up, as with this 18th c galley (a lanteen rig)



Picture probably taken in the med?

>> Edited by cy88 on Wednesday 7th December 16:43

[_dobbo_]

cy88 said:

Picture probably taken in the med?

No way cy88 that one's a drawing not a photograph, you can't fool me that easily.

sorry...

[FourWheelDrift]

simpo two said:

look a bit Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, and there's what looks like a pre-dreadnought in the b/g making it 1890-1910. The number of large ships means it must be near a port or harbour.

My Mastermind specialist subject

Sillouette not a Pre-Dread if it's Naval, I say if it is a Naval contemporary vessel the middle one of the 3 looks more like an earlier turret or Broadside ship. The smaller one on the right just looks like a merchant ship. If so you could push the date back to the 1870-80's

Nice wide waterway like that, Eastern med maybe the Nile Delta.....Alexandria?

>> Edited by FourWheelDrift on Wednesday 7th December 16:57

[simpo two]

FourWheelDrift said:

Sillouette not a Pre-Dread if it's Naval, I say if it is a Naval contemporary vessel the middle one of the 3 looks more like an earlier turret or Broadside ship. The smaller one on the right just looks like a merchant ship. If so you could push the date back to the 1870-80's Nice wide waterway like that, Eastern med maybe the Nile Delta.....Alexandria?

For some reason 'Dardanelles' came to mind... maybe as it's famous for WW1, Hogue, Aboukir, Cressy et al In fact that centre ship looks remarkably like them, but has no funnels that I can see.



If you like pre-dreads FWD check out www.nutsnbits.com/nutsnbits_000025.htm

>> Edited by simpo two on Wednesday 7th December 17:07

[te51cle]

Reckon that boat is fairly small and the hills/cliffs behind reasonably high. Portsmouth or Southampton area maybe ? The clue has got to be in the size and rigging of the boat though - too small for a Thames Barge for example.

[cy88]

I did think if it was a "local" picture, it might be Falmouth - very busy turn of the century

>> Edited by cy88 on Wednesday 7th December 18:08

[chris.mapey]

[aside] Aaah a topic I know nothing about. Ideal for mindless speculation.[/aside]

Looking at the breakwater in the middle of the piccy - looks like Dover to me.

Chris