Photo Under Glass – My Corner

1900 "aughts". Hans Koch family. Holger, Hans, Frode, Ane, Sigrid. Fredericia, Denmark. — 1900 “aughts”. Hans Koch family. Holger, Hans, Frode, Ane, Sigrid. Fredericia, Denmark.

The Photo Collection

While going through old printed photographs taken by my mom’s grandparents I came across some negatives that were actually applied to glass. A few were broken, but the rest were intact. It was thick glass. I knew that I could put them in my scanner and treat them as regular plastic negatives.

Many of the negatives are of scenes taken while the Koch family was living in Fredericia, Denmark. However, I recognize the Kimballton, Iowa brickyard and schoolhouse in a couple of them. This means the Koch family brought the glass negatives with them when they returned for the second time to the United States to live in Iowa in 1908.

I know very little about their life in Frederica, Denmark. However, my grandfather, Holger Koch, saved some letters people wrote to him after he moved to the United States. After translation I am able to get some idea of how they lived. Also, by sharing the photos with people who are familiar with Denmark landmarks, I am able to identify some locations and buildings.

In total there are about 30 glass negatives that I digitzed. Here are just a few of them:

1900 "aughts". Holger and Frode Koch. Fredericia, Denmark. Their dad worked here at the "Mill Valley Tile Works". This might have been where the Koch family lived. (You can see that the upper left corner of the glass negative broke off) — 1900 “aughts”. Holger and Frode Koch. Fredericia, Denmark. Their dad worked here at the “Mill Valley Tile Works”. This might have been where the Koch family lived. (You can see that the upper left corner of the glass negative broke off)

1900 "aughts". Old man on a plow pulled by horsed. Location unknown. — 1900 “aughts”. Old man on a plow pulled by horsed. Location unknown.

1900 "aughts". A school in Fredericia, Denmark. I do not know of its significance. — 1900 “aughts”. A school in Fredericia, Denmark. I do not know of its significance.

1900 aughts. Ane Koch, my great, great grandmother, sitting in her reading chair. Religious photos adorn the walls.

About 1904 - Fredericia, Denmark. Sigrid Koch, my great aunt, was a nanny to Agnes and Peter Masbjergs. Sigrid is about 16 years old. — About 1904 – Fredericia, Denmark. Sigrid Koch, my great aunt, was a nanny to Agnes and Peter Masbjergs.

1920s? - Kimballton, Iowa brickyard. Niels Overgaard, Holger and Hans Koch making bricks at the kiln. — 1920s? – Kimballton, Iowa brickyard. Niels Overgaard, Holger and Hans Koch making bricks at the kiln.