1931 USS Akron Airship Over Boston State Armory Flight Glass Negative OOAK
Original, one-of-a-kind (OOAK) camera-original antique 4x5 gelatin silver glass plate negative captured on November 23, 1931: a classic Boston aviation documentary view: the monumental 785-foot United States Navy rigid airship USS Akron (ZRS-4) cruising low at speed over the fortified towers and American flags of the Commonwealth State Armory on Commonwealth Avenue.
Accompanied by its original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing sleeve bearing contemporary newsroom documentation:
Historical & Aeronautical Context:
Less than a month after her official commissioning, the Goodyear-Zeppelin flying aircraft carrier USS Akron made a high-profile goodwill tour over New England on November 23, 1931. Throngs of spectators lined rooftops, streets, and open parks across Greater Boston as the colossal silver dirigible swept over the skyline at cruising speed. This framing captures the airship as it passed directly above the castellated limestone gate towers of the massive Commonwealth Armory in Allston/Boston, headquarters of the 101st Infantry and the Massachusetts National Guard.
Captured on the street with sharp press lens fidelity by Boston Herald-Traveler staff photojournalist Leslie Jones:
The USS Akron in Flight: Suspended high in the autumn sky, the tapered duralumin hull, control car, and steerable stern cruciform fins stand out in clean silver tone against the open air.
State Armory Architecture: Looking upward past bare winter branches to the Gothic battlements, arched windows, brick rustication, and twin roof flagstaffs flying the American flag and state colors.
Tonal Separation: Deep continuous silver gelatin gradation balancing the heavy masonry shadows below with the open sky and reflective fabric envelope of the dirigible above.
Specifications:
Format: Heavy antique silver gelatin 4x5 glass plate negative, exposed directly in a press camera on November 23, 1931.
Archive Ephemera Included: Accompanied by the original vintage tan kraft darkroom morgue filing envelope.
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 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 glass breaks. The silver gelatin emulsion is remarkably clean, sharp, and stable throughout, capturing pinpoint clarity across both the airship structure and the architectural stone ornamentation. Displays only minor authentic edge silvering and faint handling wear strictly along the extreme outer borders outside the primary image area. 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)
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