Date of use : 1908 USA

M.A. Seed (Moses A. Seed) Dry Plate Company

The M.A. Seed (Moses A. Seed) Dry Plate Company was founded in 1883 in St. Louis, Missouri, by Lancashire-born Miles Ainscoe (also known as Anscow) Seed. Seed was born in England in 1843 and emigrated to the United States in 1867, beginning work at the John A. Scholten photographic studio in St. Louis. Through his experience and own experiments, he developed a dry plate in 1879 and introduced it to the market as the "Seed Dry Plate."

In 1902, Eastman Kodak acquired the M.A. Seed Dry Plate Company, and Seed continued to work as a consultant during this period. He passed away in St. Louis in 1913 at the age of 70. The company's most important products were glass-based dry photographic plates. These products were typically marketed under the "Arrow Brand" and came in various sizes, providing great convenience for photographers.

These plates, pre-coated with emulsion at the factory, were designed as ready-to-use plates that could be inserted into a camera and exposed immediately. The Dry Plates were offered in special types such as "Extra Rapid Dry Plates," formulated for high sensitivity, with packaging emphasizing that they were "perfect" and "extremely sensitive." Occasionally, the company also produced 3″×4″ projector slide plates.

The M.A. Seed Dry Plate Company is considered one of the pioneers of dry plate technology in late 19th-century photography. Dry plates were much more practical than the earlier wet collodion plates, which had to be prepared and used on the spot.

Although the M.A. Seed Dry Plate Company is not as widely known today as Kodak, its role in photographic history is significant. The systematic production techniques developed in Seed's factory helped establish trust in the dry plate market. Furthermore, the company provides a key example of how independent American firms innovated and developed new products before Kodak became a nationwide monopoly in the United States.

Record Information

Title: M.A. Seed (Moses A. Seed) Dry Plate Company

Category: Photographic Technology History / Manufacturing History

Subcategory: Dry Plate Manufacturing / American Photographic Industry

Country: United States

City: St. Louis, Missouri

Date: 1908 / Founded 1883, acquired by Eastman Kodak 1902

Founder: Moses A. Seed (Miles Ainscoe Seed, 1843-1913, born Lancashire, England)

Key Product: Seed Dry Plates (glass-based dry photographic plates), Arrow Brand, Extra Rapid Dry Plates, projector slide plates (3″×4″)

Innovation: First developed dry plate in 1879, introduced to market as "Seed Dry Plate"

Historical Context: Pre-factory-coated ready-to-use plates replacing wet collodion process

Acquisition: Purchased by Eastman Kodak in 1902, Seed continued as consultant

Object Type: Product packaging / advertising box

Language: English

Material: Cardboard box with printed label

Dimensions: Standard dry plate box format

Collection Theme: Pre-Kodak era photographic manufacturing, dry plate technology, immigrant innovation in American photography

Archival Significance: This item documents the pioneering work of Moses A. Seed, a British-born innovator who played a crucial role in the development and commercialization of dry plate technology in the United States. Seed's 1879 dry plate development predated widespread adoption and helped establish the infrastructure for ready-to-use photographic plates. The M.A. Seed Dry Plate Company represents an important chapter in American photographic history, demonstrating how independent manufacturers innovated before the rise of Kodak's nationwide dominance. The company's acquisition by Eastman Kodak in 1902 illustrates the consolidation trend in the early photographic industry. This packaging artifact preserves evidence of the "Arrow Brand" product line and the technical specifications (Extra Rapid, perfect, extremely sensitive) that defined dry plate marketing. The item is a valuable primary source for understanding the technological transition from wet collodion to dry plate systems and the commercial landscape of late 19th century American photography.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
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