Ferrotype plate?

[Lorena]

Hello, I would like to confirm, the plates are for drying older photo print paper to achieve a glossy finish. Because ferrotype does reference back to photographic process I am not sure if the term is correct. I have several that were donated by older photographers. I use mine to drag across contact sheets and it gives me instant pre-visualization of what a mirror image would look like. For example I have a shot of a single gila monster in the Gelapagos, his background is a sand stone wall. When I drag the tin mirror across, I see two exact monsters facing each other, however the stand stone in the background reveals the face of an aboriginal, or lionesque man. The tins are marvelous for this application because they are so thin they do not distort the center match up. The fellow that had a box full, do you still have them? Wanna sell them? With this application they would be good for artists and photographers alike. You could Google Jerry Uelsmann who was the master of mirror images before photoshop! Do you still have them? I don't have much money but I would like to buy them and then to offer them to artists and photographers as they are a fantastic art aide as I have explained. I have the connections that could get them to artists rather then let them oxidize in a closet or ultimately end up in a land fill because no one knows what to do with them. Resin Coated papers have eliminated the need for them in printmaking and digital has made print making nearly obsolete.

 

[RacePhoto]

These are used to press the wet photo paper to so that you can get glossy prints

That is correct. Before we had resin F we had to make glossy with plates or drums. Dry too quick with heat and you would get clamshell cracks on the emulsion with drum dryers.

All this stuff / info will be lost someday...maybe if lucky in some museum.

Oh wow, this makes me an antique officially. Resin coated paper probably came out in the late 70s. I still have my plates and print dryers. If I get out an old enlarger and some old paper, I'd still need to use them.

You put the wet print on them face down, squeegee out the water to make sure there's a good contact, and wait until they pop off, naturally. If you peel them, it creates lines and cracks. Also the pressure curtain was stretched on the dryer models, with curved plates. Turn the heater on and wait. (not as slow and air drying)

The idea is a perfectly clean, mirror surface, makes a perfect shiny print. Any tiny scratch will ruin the plate. Any dirt will show up as surface dull spots on the prints.

I never thought of using them for collodion positive prints. They are just packed in storage with the trays, drums, developing reels and stuff that's in the archives. Hey I can open a museum room at home?

 

[Lasserman]

I remember using a similar one, but that was in the 60s.

I just scored a double sided HANSA Glossy Print Dryer in great shape but, but, AWWW!!! HOT DANG! the plates were not with it.
Does anyone know where I can start looking?