RARE 1882 WISCONSIN DEEP SEA HARDHAT DIVER OUTDOOR MARITIME PHOTOGRAPH SET For Sale

ORIGINAL! RARE! 1882 WISCONSIN DEEP SEA HARDHAT DIVER OUTDOOR MARITIME PHOTOGRAPH SET

1882 WISCONSIN DEEP SEA HARDHAT DIVER OUTDOOR MARITIME PHOTOGRAPH SET

ITEM DESCRIPTION:THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY RARE, MUSEUM-QUALITY TWO-PART DOCUMENTARY PORTFOLIO OF LATE 19TH-CENTURY OCCUPATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS. IT DETAILS AN EARLY HARD-HAT DIVING OPERATION IN THE HARBOR OF MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN. PRODUCED BY THE STUDIO OF ARTHUR B. MELENDY AND ARTHUR J. PACKARD, THESE IMAGES RECORD A REMARKABLE VISUAL NARRATIVE OF GREAT LAKES MARITIME HISTORY OF 1882.PREMIUM ULTRA-RARE HISTORICAL ATTRIBUTES:

• 100% OUTDOOR FIELD PHOTOGRAPHY:UNLIKE TYPICAL INDOOR STUDIO PORTRAITS WHERE GEAR WAS POSED IN A CONTROLLED ROOM, BOTH OF THESE LARGE FORMAT IMAGES WERE FILMED ON-SITE AT THE MANITOWOC WATERFRONT ON THE EXACT SAME AFTERNOON. THE LOGISTICS REQUIRED TO BRING DELICATE BROMIDE GLASS PLATES AND TRIPODS TO AN ACTIVE HARBOR CONSTRUCTION ZONE PROVES THIS WAS A HIGHLY EXPENSIVE, CUSTOM INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION.
• UNBROKEN SUCCESSIVE NARRATIVE PROVENANCE:THIS PARALLEL SET FORMS A COMPLETELY CONNECTED GRAPHIC ARCHIVE. PHOTO 1 SHOWS THE FULL DIVER AND HIS TEAM STAGED ON THE DOCK RIGHT BEFORE THE OPERATION. PHOTO 2 SHOWS THE EXACT SAME EQUIPMENT AND CREW MINUTES LATER, MID-JOB, ACTIVELY LAUNCHED OFF A BARGE IN THE RIVER HARBOR. SEQUENTIAL OCCUPATIONAL MATCHING PAIRS OF THIS SCALE FROM THE 1880S ARE ALMOST NEVER RECOVERED TOGETHER.
• GENUINE BROMIDE SILVER DISPLAYS:ADVERTISED BY THE BACK STAMP AS THE SUCCESSFUL "NEW BROMIDE PORTRAIT," THESE ARE NOT COMMON SOUR SEPIA IMAGES. THEY FEATURE INCREDIBLE TONAL DENSITY WITH COLD, RICH DEEP CHARCOAL BLACKS, CRISP SILVERY SHADOWS, AND DETAILED TONAL RANGE THAT STAYS HIGHLY STABLE AGAINST SUN FADING.

PHOTO 1: THE WATERFRONT EQUIPMENT PORTRAIT

• SUBJECT: A STUNNING COMPOSITION OF A DEEP-SEA DIVER IN A TRADITIONAL CANVAS HARD-HAT SUIT WITH A HEAVY CHEST WEIGHT BELT. HE STANDS ENTIRELY OUTDOORS AGAINST THE VERTICAL TIMBER SIDING OF A SHIPYARD WORKSHOP NEXT TO THE COPPER HELMET AND THE MANUAL AIR PUMP OPERATED BY AN ATTENDANT ON A WOODEN CRATE.
• MOUNT SIZE: IMPACTFUL LARGE FORMAT MEASURING 10 1/2" X 13 1/8".

PHOTO 2: THE HARBOR WORK ACTION VIEW

• SUBJECT: THE COMPANION FIELD VIEW DEPICTING THE SAME DIVER SUBMERGED TO THE CHEST NEXT TO A HEAVY TIMBER SCOW WORK BARGE IN THE HISTORIC MANITOWOC RIVER WATERFRONT. THE IMAGE CAPTURES THE DIVING CREW ACTIVELY WORKING THE LIFELINES, AN INDUSTRIAL A-FRAME HOIST LADDER, AND AN EARLY LOCAL TRUSS SWING BRIDGE ACCENTED BY SAWMILL BUILDINGS ACROSS THE HARBOR.
• MOUNT SIZE: OVERSIZED EXHIBITION FORMAT MEASURING 11" X 14".

CONDITION REPORT:

• IMPRINT TEXT: THE VERSO OF BOTH HEAVY CARDBOARD MOUNTS CARRIES THE AUTHENTIC REVERSE IMPRINT: "MELENDY & PACKARD, ARTISTIC PHOTOGRAPHERS... FINE CABINET PHOTOS, CITY AND MARINE VIEWS... MANITOWOC, WISCONSIN."
• WEAR DESCRIPTION: THE PHOTOGRAPHIC BROMIDE PRINTS THEMSELVES ARE EXCELLENT, BOASTING EXCEPTIONAL CONTRAST AND CLEAR LINE DETAIL WITH NO RADICAL LOSS OR DEEP SCRATCHING. THE VINTAGE THICK CARDBOARD MOUNT CARDS SHOW NATURAL, AUTHENTIC HANDLING WEAR FROM DECADES OF DIRECT HANDLING. THIS CONSISTS OF LIGHT CHIPPING ON THE EDGE BORDERS, ROUNDING AT THE CORNERS, AND EXPECTED AMBIENT REAR AGE MARKS/FOXING COMMON TO GENUINE LATE VICTORIAN PAPER EPHEMERA.

INVESTOR NOTE:
DUE TO THE INCREDIBLE RARITY OF AMERICAN HARD-HAT DIVING PHOTOGRAPHY AND GREAT LAKES SHIPBUILDING EPHEMERA, THIS PIECE IS MARKETED FOR TOP-TIER INVESTORS, MUSEUM ARCHIVES, AND SERIOUS REGIONAL HISTORICAL ACQUISITION SPECIALISTS. PIECES OF THIS INTEGRITY ARE EXTREMELY HARD TO REPLICATE ONCE BROKEN UP.
THE PAIR WILL BE PACKED FLAT.(please see pictures)

THESE ARE NOT COPIES OR REPRODUCTIONS.

PLEASE SEE MY 100% POSITIVE response AND BUY WITH CONFIDENCE.

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