IPI Interesting Image of the Week

In this gelatin dry plate negative the image was inverted to show how the image would appear as a positive print. The bicycle in the image dates to the 1890s at the height of the “bicycle craze.” Safety bicycles were introduced in the 1880s and inflatable rubber tires were introduced in 1890. These improvements to the bicycle led to a surge in the popularity of cycling at the end of the 19th century and into the 20th century by adults as well as children. The gelatin dry plate was also introduced in the 1880s, peaking in popularity in the 1890s. The dry plate was easier to use than earlier photographic technology so, like the bicycle, there was a surge in the number of people using photography. This image represents the accessibility of both photography and cycling to a greater number of people due to the many technological achievements of the late 19th century. Take a guided tour of a similar object to learn more about this process.