Here’s another glass negative shot by John B. Capewell about 100 or so years ago. It could be New Jersey. It could be anywhere. Sadly, there’s no way of knowing, but I welcome guesses in the comment section below.
About The Capewell Glass Negative Collection
The Capewell Glass Negative Collection is a series of about 200 5-inch by 7-inch glass negatives shot early in the 20th Century by John Batt Capewell (1878-1951) of Westville, New Jersey. John passed the negatives down to his son Henry who left them in his wife’s possession upon his passing. Henry’s widow didn’t know what to do with them and didn’t particularly want them so she offered them to my Dad who couldn’t turn down anything. Ultimately I wound up with them and thought I would one day have photographic prints struck from them. That didn’t happen, but I came up with the digital workaround of placing the negatives on a lightbox and rephotographing them with a digital camera. The “processing” was then done on a computer with image editing software. They came out better than I thought they would so I thought I would show them off to the world on this site. Many of these pictures have not been seen in a century, and I’m proud to be presenting them today.
At first, I did not know who the people were in the photographs. I have a box of ephemera that accompanied the negatives and snagged a few clues from that as far as the Capewell name. I did some research on the internet and had a few false starts and wrong turns, but the readers of these posts have provided a remarkable amount of research and detail. I’m amazed at what people have turned up sifting through public records and such!
Last Week: Two Exposures, One Negative
This image is completely familiar to me, Joe!
I can state with absolute certitude that this body of water is Almonesson Lake. The treeline, especially the rise of it on the left-hand side of the image, is still that way today! Note the two boats out on the lake, a favorite pastime for those who visited this recreational area in the early twentieth century.
Another great photograph from the Capewell Collection. Thanks for sharing these images each week!!
Best regards,
Jerseyman
Thanks, Jerseyman!
Amazing!
Wow… I want to know how old jerseyman is… 😉
that ain’t almonesson lake. it would have a rise on both sides.
I agree with Jerseyman. In the middle of the photo is a point juttingh out from the right a bit. There is now a covered deck/gazebo on that point. To the right side is a larger point which is about 150 yards southj of the dam/Cooper Sterreet. Photo was probably taken from the road/dam which was washed out in the September 1944 floods during the hurricane. Looks to be soon after the turn of the century before Sunset Beach Park was established, else there would probably be more rental boats on the water.
See FB Almonesson
https://www.facebook.com/groups/108798209273862/
and Sunset Beach Park
https://www.facebook.com/groups/401693883278609/
sites.
Incredible! Great eye!