Etched glass found in darkroom - ID?

[syncrasy]

I found a couple of loose pieces of glass in my late father's darkroom. One is 8x10 glass, the other is 9.25x9.25" plexiglass. Both appear to be etched/frosted on one side. The plexiglass is more opaque than the glass piece.

Because of the large sizes, I assume he could not have used these with his enlargers (Beseler 45 and 23), so I'm puzzled as to their identities/uses.

Are these diffusion or Anti-Newton ring glass pieces for a different type of enlarger or purpose? Or something else entirely? The 8x10 glass is fairly thick (3/16 inch or about 4.76 mm). Not sure if that's too thick for a negative carrier. (I'm cleaning out the house prior to an estate sale so I'd like to find a new home for these pieces if they have any value.)

The attached photo shows the plexiglass on the left, glass on the right.

Thanks for any help.

[jmlphotography]

I'm surprised that one of the experts hasn't responded.  In any case, as someone who does scan negatives, I believe you are correct in assuming these are used to reduce/eliminate newton rings.  I'm sure they have value for someone. Try the large format forum at Photorio or the http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

The glass one might possibly be the ground glass from an 8x10" view camera.
Back in "the day" most view camera users didn't enlarge, just made contact prints.

[syncrasy]

Thanks for the ideas. I did also post on the Photrio site; someone guessed the glass might have been used as ANR glass for proofing rolls of film. As good a guess as any.

I wonder if it's possible to distinguish between "ground" and "etched" glass just by visual inspection.

In any case, given the multiple uses for such (etched/ground) glass, and lack of paperwork/receipt, this might just have to remain a mystery.

After I first posted this I found yet another piece of ANR glass, this one an oddball size (~ 10x16"). Who knows what he did with that one.

[Rob C]

The glass one might possibly be the ground glass from an 8x10" view camera.
Back in "the day" most view camera users didn't enlarge, just made contact prints.

Just tripped over this thead: yes, that was the first thing that came to mind. Even if the gentleman didn't own such a camera, photographers usually had a thing for collecting bits and pieces that "might come in useful" even though most never did, based on personal experience. That said, whenever I dump anything, you can bet that within a week it will turn out to have been exactly what's needed for the current task for which I now have no alternative, ready solution. Wire is often such a thing... I still hang on to a thin, stiff black wire that was the handle I used for my dodging tool, even though I have no current possibility of reopening any darkroom. I threw away the black cookie-cutter-edged cardboard circle that used to be on the other end of it, though. I'm not obsessive, you know.