Antique Stereo Cameras

	Dallmeyer Universal Sliding Box Stereo Dallmeyer was a leading optician, who obviously wished to see his lenses presented on cameras worthy of his name. As beautifully made as it is rugged, the perfectly inletted brass bindings are interspersed with equally perfect dovetail joints. Each joint was reinforced with a perfectly aligned brass screw. This example must have been a late entry in the age of sliding box cameras, c.1868. The kit includes both a matching wet plate, and clamshell style dry plate holder. The focusing screen is also matched to the set. Added to the kit is a second mismatched wet plate holder, which shows chemical stains from being used. The kit also includes a second pair of sequentially numbered Dallmeyer lenses,a beautifully made Dallmeyer flap shutter, and two screen focusing lenses. Tilting the camera around under a light reveals the most amazing three dimensional depth and color I have ever seen in the grain of a piece of wood. They must have used the best trees first. Additional Views
	G. Hare Stereo Trained as a cabinet maker, George Hare entered his own camera making business circa 1857. He contributed several important innovations to 19th century camera design. Hare cameras were made to the highest standards. The mahogany wood is finished in a deep rich reddish brown. Dovetailed corner joints are perfectly fitted and every screw head is aligned like soldiers prepared for inspection. The sequentialy numbered Dallmeyer stereoscopic lenses incorporate wheel stops. The Dallmeyer Rapid Rectilinear mono lens has a matching set of numbered waterhouse stops. All the major wood components on the camera bear a number "1" as do both lens boards. I am not enough of a historian to properly interpret this. Is it a simple meaningless assembly number, or could this be the first camera made in a given year, or of a certain style? Many cameras of this era bear no serial numbers at all. If it was a multi-digit number, I would just assume its a serial number and move on. The set also includes a pair of non-numbered plate holders and an example of Hare's Automatic Changing Box. Although not the first to make a daylight plate loader, Hare's device, patented in 1875, was an early example of the concept. One of the plate holders is equipped with a light tight interface to match the changing box. Additional Views
	Tailboard Stereo (Horne, Thornthwaite & Wood?) Here we have another circa 1880s tailboard camera, which has been converted with a Thornton Pickard shutter and Aldis Anastigmat lenses. This particular example includes stereo base adjustment. The camera exhibits all the inherent quality one expects of the era. The corners are all constructed with perfectly fitting dovetail joints, the screw heads all line up, and the square corner bellows have a deep burgundy color which accentuates the beautiful mahogany wood. How is it someone would make such a high quality piece, with so much pride of workmanship, and not identify themselves with a maker's label? Poking around, I spotted photos of a Horne, Thornthwaite & Wood camera which shares important characteristics with this ca mera. Items such as finish detailing of the wood on the front of the camera, number and location of screws, and identical brass hardware suggest this may be a H,T&W made camera. Additional Views
	W.I. Chadwick Stereo The available literature paints W.I. Chadwick as a great innovator, and even assigns him some credit for re igniting interest in stereo photography with the design of his stereo camera in 1890. Sadly, there isn't photographic evidence available on line to demonstrate his prowess as a camera designer. In fact, there is almost no information of any kind, so all we can do is appreciate what we have here. In this case, it's a half plate tailboard stereo camera with a lovely set of matched Chadwick stereo lenses, and an equally beautiful Chadwick landscape lens on a mono lens board. Although clearly made for a camera exactly like this, the flap shutter's condition and maker's label are different than the camera itself, so it's most likely from another set. Several available references note stereo kits were equipped with a Thornton Pickard rollerblind shutter. If this outfit had one originally, it would have been an over-the-lenses style, rather than being mounted on the lens board as are other examples in my collection. Also according to the references, this camera was likely made for Chadwick by Billcliff. Additional Views
	W. Morley Stereo At some point in the 1890s, this circa 1880 mahogany tailboard camera had it's original Negretti & Zambra lenses replaced with a set of Wrays, mounted on a Thornton Pickard stereo shutter. The quality of wood, richness of the original maroon square leather bellows and perfect dovetail joints all speak to the degree of workmanship lavished on cameras of this era. Features included a rising front and tilting back. Additional Views
	E. Mazo Stereo Fourth quarter 19th century tailboard stereo camera, with Mazo lenses on Thornton-Pickard stereo shutter. I'm guessing it was a private label product made for Mazo by someone else. Additional Views
	J. Reygondaud Stereo By the latter part of the 19th century a thriving business had evolved for both professional and high quality amateur cameras. The sliding box style had given way to folding cameras with leather bellows such as this (circa 1890) Reygondaud. It has both mono and stereo lens sets mounted on roller blind shutters. The stereo lens pair are Darlots with waterhouse style stops. The mono shutter is by Mattioli. The stereo shutter has a trademark, but I don't know if its Mattioli or someone else. The single lens is a Goerz of most likely later vintage. The accessory view finder is an interesting piece. With the top cover closed, it works as an eye level finder. Open the cover and a mirror drops down internally, making it a waist level finder. Additional Views
	No. 5 Folding Kodak Improved "satchel" Stereo In 1885, Blair establisheded the concept of self-casing cameras with their commercialy succesful Lucidograph. Kodak soon followed with their own Folding cameras. Looking much like a satchel, the Kodaks were more practical, though still far from an ideal design. An interesting feature of the Kodak cameras was their incorporation of an Eastman-Walker roll film holder. The No. 5 Improved of 1893-'97 was given a wider lens board, allowing the use of stereo shutters. It could also shoot glass plates. By the turn of the century, better designs were available and the satchel cameras were gone. Additional Views
	Rochester Camera & Supply Co. Stereo POCO The Stereo POCO camera was a typical turn of the century cased camera design. I tend to think of this as the third basic design evolution. Early cameras were of the sliding box type, then came folding designs with leather bellows, but their components were still exposed when the bed was folded up. Cased cameras were the norm for over 50 years. It took modern 35mm SLRs to unseat them. By changing the lens board and removing the internal septum, the camera can be converted for shooting regular 2D photos. Additional Views
	Century Camera Co. Stereo Model 46 Started in 1900, Century was quickly absorbed by Eastman. By 1905 they had also absorbed the Rochester Panoramic Camera Co., who had recently introduced the Cirkut cameras. In 1907, the company became known as the Century Division of Kodak, and ultimately, as the Cirkut cameras evolved, the Century name was dropped. Thus, the Century camera name only had a short life. This example is in 5 x 7 format and includes a revolving back. Additional Views
	Anthony Stereo Solograph Before merging with Scovill, and later becoming Ansco, E&HT Anthony was the first American camera manufacturer. This c. 1901 Solograph was produced shortly before the merger. Although of fairly light construction, the detailed brass work on the shutter and lens board make this a highly attractive camera. Additional Views
	Gundlach-Manhattan Optical Co. Korona Stereo As was common with turn of the century optical companies, Gundlach went through a series of owners and naming variations. Based on the branding, this particular example was likely made somewhere between 1903 and the war years. Interestingly, while most Korona cameras had an ivorene maker's plate at the base of the front stand, this one does not. Instead the maker's information has been engraved on the decorative plate between the lenses. If the label appears crooked, that's because it is! Presumably, this was a manufacturing deffect. I would love to see if any other Korona cameras of this period had the same deffect. Additional Views
	SOL Sigriste Stereo 6 x 13 Designed by a Swiss, Jean Guido, but manufactured in France, the Sigriste featured a very unusual tapered bellows focal plain shutter. Claimed top shutter speed on early models was 1/5000th. Even if this were true, emulsions of the day were generally unable to take advantage of such high speeds. Built almost entirely of wood, the camera was both large and awkward to handle. The magazine held 12 glass plates. Lacking a dark slide, it could not be changed in daylight. Both beautiful and extremely rare, the Sigriste is living proof good looks alone cannot overcome poor ergonomic design. even opening and closing the viewfinder frame required a specific sequence of non-intuitive motions. Additional Views
	Goerz Anschutz Another turn of the century bellows type camera was the Goerz Anschutz. Featuring a focal plain shutter, the Goerz uses struts rather than a folding bed. The camera may be used to create 2D panoramas by removing the internal septum and sliding the lenses over so one is centered. After the age of interchangeable lens boards, this was a not uncommon feature prior to WWII. It has a Newtonian action finder on top, or a ground glass could be attached for critical composition and focusing. Back and Side Views \| Instruction Manual
	Mackenstein La Francia A delicate French 45 x 107 strut folding design, La Francia folded up into a very small package. It would be carried in a felt pouch and was perfectly suited to be carried in a purse, or coat pocket. Like many of its contemporaries, the shutter is pneumatically controlled, with "slow" (len t), and "fast" (rapide) settings. The aperture control knob on the upper right must have been a production line modification. Whereas labeling on the front plate has been beautifully engraved, markings for the aperture knob are scratched in by hand. Perhaps it came unmarked and an owner later scratched in his own markings. Another oddity of this particular camera is the red leather bellows have been dyed black. This is one of the rare few cameras I think actually looks better in black. Additional Views
	Photo Hall The Photo Hall is one of a plethora of French 45 x 107 mm glass plate cameras. Not a highly sophisticated machine. The body is leather covered wood and it uses a simple metal plate holder with dark slide. Additional Views
	No 2 Stereo Brownie Kodak made a large and confusing series of folding stereo cameras. This was due in part to the fact Eastman kept absorbing competing companies, but continued to offer their products. The No 2 Stereo Brownie is a personal favor ite. On these early cameras the handle was on top, so one would carry the camera much like a lunch box. Additional Views
	Blair Stereo Weno Blair was one of a number of companies absorbed by Eastman around the turn of the century. Built in the popular "pocket" style, Weno cameras are less common than the similar Hawkeye models, and were only made in 190 2-'03. Although still labeled Blair Camera Co., Kodak would drop the Blair name around 1908. I believe this is a very early example, as all the others I have seen have an aperture scale bridging the top of the gap between the shutters. Blair Camera Co and Weno are then stamped into the black metal cover. On this camera, Blair Camera Co is stamped into the two small chrome plates screwed to the tops of the sh utters. The only number I can find on the camera is an 88 stamped under a film take up spool. I'm guessing that is the serial number. Additional Views
	Stereo Hawkeye Model 4 One of the prettiest folding Kodaks, the Stereo Hawkeye Model 4. Eastman absorbed many camera companies along the way, including the Blair Camera Co. This led to the rather long winded Eastman Kodak Co Successor to Blair Camera Co. label on the round disc between the lenses. Kodak must have realized there were advantages to Blair's design, because the Stereo Brownie had a short life. Additional Views
	Stereo Kodak Model 1 (early) The thin end of the wedge. Next thing you know they'll be making these things out of plastic. Oh wait, that's exactly what happened. Although the case has been modified, there is no mistaking the Hawkeye origins of the Model 1. It also marked the end of the beautiful wood, brass and maroon bellows era. I've also seen a version like this but still with the lacquered brass shutter. If I run across a nice one for sale, it will be joining the collection.
	Stereo Kodak Model 1 This is a later example of the Stereo Kodak Model 1. Notice how the camera has evolved from the box shape of the No 2 Brownie. The handle has moved to the end, which is rounded instead of square. Its now much more typical of a 1920s pocket camera. However, these cameras were way to big to fit in your pocket. Standard stereo view cards of the day were 3.5 x 7 inches, and so the camera had to accommodate a big roll of film.
	Hugo Stöckig Union 30 Stöckig was a large German mail order company which sold many private label versions of Ernemann cameras, under the Union label. This particular model was the Union version of the Ernemann Heag IV Stereoskop. The back incorporated an unusual folding viewing hood for the focusing screen. Later versions incorporated a reflex finder mounted on the front between the lenses. Camera Back

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