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Lage Wernstedt: Glass Plate Images, 1916


John_Scurlock

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Can anyone assist in identifying the sixty-one images found here: http://www.pbase.com/nolock/wernstedt1916

 

These small (~3x3") positive-image plates were found earlier this year by Skye Burn, Lage's granddaughter, during a move. She passed them over to me, and I donated them to the Center for Pacific Northwest Studies at WWU ( http://www.acadweb.wwu.edu/CPNWS/ ) in the care of Elizabeth Joffrion, Archivist. The only clue is an almost-illegible note on the inside cover of the storage box, "1916", with the initial "W".

 

This is a historically significant find, as these plates are the only known glass plates that can be attributed to Lage; also, they are possibly the earliest known of his photographs. We suspect these are 'lantern slides', intended for a slide-show type display, but this is uncertain.

 

A few of the images are fairly obvious, such as Multnomah Falls, an early climb of Mt. Hood, and the Columbia River. Many of the others are unknown, however, and most likely will remain so.

 

Feel free to pass the link around, and thanks for taking a look and giving this some thought. The contact information for myself and Elizabeth Joffrion is posted on the gallery intro. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Best Wishes,

John Scurlock

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62518438.Ujn9P5yv.jpg

My first impression is that this is The Castle on Mt Adams. Opinions?

 

62518431.mGrahhwy.jpg

Which might mean that this could be looking down the Klikitat or Mazama Glaciers? I don't know my Hood geography that well though, so it might be there rather than on Adams.

 

 

62518526.oOQMwupp.jpg

The previous image was 017, this is 028, which is similar, but reversed. I don't know which is the correct version...

 

 

Cool old shots. Is some of that the Columbia River in the gorge partially frozen over? Wheehah!

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The previous image was 017, this is 028, which is similar, but reversed. I don't know which is the correct version...

 

Yes, they are the same image, I'm not sure which is correct, either. Just based on the recognizable images I had not considered that he spent time on Adams. However, he was a most intrepid individual, so that is not impossible by any means.

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Never mind, looking at photos I think I'm talking through my hat. Found some vintage pics from that side of Adams and it's not a match. Let's get the Hood people in here.

 

The first one, Yocum from the other side (ie image in correct orientation), in summer conditions? shudder.

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I agree that #21 (the first one that Mr. White has posted above) looks like Yokum Ridge. If so, I'm not sure if it is from the "back" side or simply turned backwards. I don't think the sun gets far enough north to shine that way on the back side.

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Sorry about the possibly incorrect orientations. I may be able to add 'reversals' to some of the better images when I get home tomorrow. Also the numerous duplicates. I'll take care of that later tonight.

 

We are interested to see if anyone has any ideas on those 'Alaskan' shore images where the volcano is visible across the water. Harry Majors thought that was SE Alaska somewhere... I don't think it was previously known that Lage spent any time in Alaska, but these pics pre-date his big accomplishments in the NCs, anything is possible.

 

By the way, if anyone wants a copy of the CD with the original files just let me know.

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Hey John,

 

Saw you flying around near Cascade Pass on Sunday. We waved, but I'm sure you had your hands full.

 

A spokesman for Nolock Aviation would neither confirm nor deny that he was flying near Eldorado & Cascade Pass on Sunday morning, with MisterE serving as co-pilot. Other witnesses, including Der Wanderer & highclimb, claimed similar sightings, although their dependence on primitive "film" technology delayed photographic confirmation... grin.gif

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Hey John,

 

Saw you flying around near Cascade Pass on Sunday. We waved, but I'm sure you had your hands full.

 

A spokesman for Nolock Aviation would neither confirm nor deny that he was flying near Eldorado & Cascade Pass on Sunday morning, with MisterE serving as co-pilot. Other witnesses, including Der Wanderer & highclimb, claimed similar sightings, although their dependence on primitive "film" technology delayed photographic confirmation... grin.gif

 

Oh shit, I just had a knock on my door and their are three guys in black suits. What should I do?? shocked.gif

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I keep forgetting to flip the 'Stealth' switch to the ON position.

 

Boy there was a lot of people on the ground down there. Everybody was out'n'about, gettin' after it. We saw a virtually continuous line of 'ants' on the C-D rt on Baker, probably 100 to 200.... & many sets of tracks elsewhere.

 

Thanks for the various suggestions, by the way. Much food for thought.

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On further inspection, I think the "Castle" shot is looking at the north face of Yocum across the Sandy Glacier probably from high on Cathedral Ridge above MacNeil Point. I'll see if I can find a similiar shot.

 

The other photo looks like many drainages on Hood, such as high on the White River. I am kind of thinking its the Coe or Glisan.

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I agree, it looks like a close match. Klenke emailed me a modern shot of his that was a nearly exact match for the downhill glacier view of the S. Klickitat gl on Adams. I am fairly certain that both Hood & Adams are represented here.

 

Dave Tucker from WWU has provided tentative ID of the 'alaskan' volcanos as Redoubt & Illamna (Cook Inlet).

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I keep forgetting to flip the 'Stealth' switch to the ON position.

 

Boy there was a lot of people on the ground down there. Everybody was out'n'about, gettin' after it. We saw a virtually continuous line of 'ants' on the C-D rt on Baker, probably 100 to 200.... & many sets of tracks elsewhere.

 

Thanks for the various suggestions, by the way. Much food for thought.

 

I saw a plane take a swipe at J-berg on Saturday evening. It flew mighty close to a high point on the ridge. Was that you?

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Hi John - I'm Keith Jackson, and am working on Hood glacier change with Andrew Fountain here at PSU (we've gone through our fair share of your photos recently - thanks!). I thought I'd throw my 2 cents in on image 017. I'd place a good sized bet that it's the White River Glacier (as others have suggested as well). And by "good sized" I mean all of the money a grad student has, which is not a lot, but is SAYING a lot...

 

-kjack

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