How to store your precious Ambrotypes

Making nice plates in one thing, but storig them in a proper way is at least that important.
Although your plates are varnished, it's very important to store your plates safely.
I bought my envelopes from the Dutch fotomuseum. They are acid free and have the exact European size ( 18 x 24 cm ).
They also sell smaller sizes !
Here you can order them : http://www.nederlandsfotomuseum.nl/component/option,com_nfm_verpakkingen/Itemid,794/lang,nl/index.php?option=com_nfm_verpakkingen&sub=detail&Itemid=794&id=233

I print the actual picture at the front. Just by using my laserprinter and at the back i print some additional information.
I use a safe shockproof aluminium case to store them vertical.
Storing them this way doesn't take you much space and they are safe.

Normal film plate holder part 2

In oktober 2010 i posted some pictures how to modify a normal film holder to a wet plate holder.
Here's the post http://collodion-art.blogspot.com/2010/10/normal-film-holder-for-wet-plate.html
I have got several questions how i manage to hold the plate into the plate holder as it has no door with a spring.
Well, actually this is quite simple. Just take a normal plastic (limonade) bottle. Cut a small part out of the bottom part (which is mostly the stiffest part) of the bottle  (about 1.5 x 3 inches) et voila:  you have made yourself a spring for your plate holder.
Just as simple as that.
Try to make it of a white bottle which makes it much easier to locate when you are working in the dark room.

I finally found "Her".......

After a long search i finally found a suitable lens for my 20x20”Donchev camera.

This is a 24” early Voigtlander petzval which was produced aprox in the year 1864.
This lens is massive. I thought my 20inch Hermagis was big. This one is huge.
The glass is in execptional good shape. No separation, fungus or what so ever.
It came with one original waterhouse stop.

Some specs:
Weight :                         8,3 kilo
Height:                           39 cm
Diameter lens hood:        19 cm
Flange diameter:             23 cm
Serial number:                12540
Focal lenght                    24"
F-stop                             aprox 5.2 (because of waterhouse slot)

If anyone can supply me the exact production date of this lens, please let me know.
Just to show how massive this lens is, the lens next to the Voigtlander is my Dallmeyer 3B

Beautiful rare Derogy lens

Recently i bought a very early beautiful Derogy petzval lens for my small collection.
Every time i say to myself, i have to stop collecting stuff, but this one i couldn't resist......

The lens is dated between 1850 - 1860 so more than 150 years old.
A beautiful example of perfect handcraft.

The bayonet system makes this a rapidly convertible portrait/landscape lens.
The lens has a focal length of about 8" and it's speed is about f 3.8
unfortunately it has no flange, so if somebody could help me finding one i would be more than grateful !
Thread diameter is 88,6 mm.

I made you some pictures to show how the ingenious lens works.

 Standard portrait situation

fast opening with bajonet

 It has a double lens cap which can be taken apart.
One for the portrait lens and a smaller one for the land scape lens

Here you can see the aparture rings which were used in very early lenses

Mounted as a landscape lens including the smaller lens cap mounted at the front