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Bread peddlers, East Side Manhattan circa 1915. View full size. 5x7 glass negative. George Grantham Bain Collection.
Thanks. The mystery is solved.
BTW
"Pre-flash" was an old technique of slightly fogging the film in an attempt to soften the image. It predates flash photography.
The solarized-looking areas are places where the thickest parts of the emulsion are deteriorating, getting darker and flaking on the glass negative, possibly due to mold. On the positive when the image is inverted, the effect is a white outline. There was no flash used. And no film, either.
The out of focus images of a few people in the background look almost solarized. Can anyone explain this effect. Could it be an artifact of pre-flashing the film?
Imagine trying to sell bread like this today, I think the board of health would be shocked
I love the guy peeking around the corner!!
[Also note the kid on roller skates! - Dave]
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