Halftone or Paget Plates

[geogphotos]

When this image was discussed before - I was asking about the dotted appearance - the forum consensus was that it was a halftone image.

 

I've just been reading about Paget Plates. Could that be what it is?

 

Or am I barking up the wrong tree again?

 

 

The system used two glass plates, one of which was the colour screen plate while the other was a standard black-and-white negative plate. The colour screen plate comprised a series of red, green and blue filters, laid down in a regular pattern of lines to form a réseau, or matrix. Because the negatives of the time required long exposure times, the colours in the screen plate were diluted to let more light through to the negative, resulting in a quicker exposure. A viewing screen with more intense colour filters was used in combination with the developed positive to project a composite colour image.

The colour screen plate was usually sold as a separate item to the panchromatic negatives. A single colour screen plate could be placed into the camera and used to expose many negatives in succession. The resultant negatives looked like standard black-and-white negatives, with a noticeable crosshatch patterning in areas of strong colour.

Edited February 20, 2021 by geogphotos

[spacecadet]

I think you're right.

Yours looks very much like this one

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Very_early_colour_image_-_Paget_Colour_process_(detail_showing_colour_grid)_(4930188331).jpg

if you zoom in.

The colour in your example is very desaturated though. Wikipedia does say that the colour screens are prone to fading.

[geogphotos]

1 hour ago, spacecadet said:

I think you're right.

Yours looks very much like this one

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Very_early_colour_image_-_Paget_Colour_process_(detail_showing_colour_grid)_(4930188331).jpg

if you zoom in.

The colour in your example is very desaturated though. Wikipedia does say that the colour screens are prone to fading.

 

 

I remember on that thread a person who seemed very knowledgeable about printing saying that the coloured dots were puzzling ( or similar) for a halftone image which is why I thought that it could be this early colour process from Paget.  

Edited February 20, 2021 by geogphotos

[wiskerke]

8 hours ago, geogphotos said:

 

 

I remember on that thread a person who seemed very knowledgeable about printing saying that the coloured dots were puzzling ( or similar) for a halftone image which is why I thought that it could be this early colour process from Paget.  

 

Yes I have kept those on file for a while and came to the same conclusion in the end. Either Paget or one of the others that look just like it, like Finlay or Dufay. Impossible to decide without the real thing and a couple of real specimen of the other processes. If you're really into it, I would try the V&A. They have a terrific photography department.

Here is a pdf with some close ups.

 

wim

[Martyn]

13 hours ago, geogphotos said:

 

 

I remember on that thread a person who seemed very knowledgeable about printing saying that the coloured dots were puzzling ( or similar) for a halftone image which is why I thought that it could be this early colour process from Paget.  

 

I think you have nailed it ! I have never heard of this process before but looking at the example in your link, that would certainly explain why the dots do not look like regular halftone dots and appear elongated ... or diamond shaped !

[geogphotos]

Thanks all

 

I've just bought a box of Paget Plates unseen from an online auction. Will post if any are interesting. Quite likely it will just be a box of old mouldy cracked glass because thinking about it the auction house only showed two examples.

[spacecadet]

On 21/02/2021 at 09:08, geogphotos said:

Thanks all

 

I've just bought a box of Paget Plates unseen from an online auction. Will post if any are interesting. Quite likely it will just be a box of old mouldy cracked glass because thinking about it the auction house only showed two examples.

I don't know about Paget plates, but Autochromes use dyed starch grains from potato, so that sounds like a tasty plate of chips for the greeblies.🍽️

Edited February 22, 2021 by spacecadet