Can anyone identify this beast ?

[Leszek Vogt]

According to the writing, this enlarger was made in 1900. Thanks.

Les

135308

[Tin Can]

According to the writing, this enlarger was made in 1900. Thanks.

Les

135308

Definity Elwood from Indiana. Looks like 8x10. I have one or 2...

[EdSawyer]

Agreed, Elwood. I know some folks who had one of these in 5x7 I believe.

[Jim Jones]

I used an Elwood 5x7 for maybe 12 years until the darkroom burned down. It was big (had to set it on the darkroom floor) and simple, but worked fine for 4x5 and 5x7. The company made enlargers from at least 2.25x2.25 to 10x10 inches. You can download instructions for a 5x7 from http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/elwood_1.html. Other sizes were fairly similar.

[Wayne]

I grew up with one of those. I think. I've never been able to find one that looked exactly the way I remember my dad's looking, but I know it was an 8x10 because it was huge and I think it was an Elwood. It definitely had a floor stand, and wasn't a Saltzman.

[David Lobato]

I used a 5x7 Elwood in the 90's. It was a beast, heavy and big, the dreadnaught of enlargers. Put a good lens on and printed. It had a nice masking setup for smaller formats. Wish more enlargers had that feature. I was told the specially ground glass (ground gradient from center to the edges) is crucial. I even printed Cibachromes from 4x5 transparencies with it.

[David Lobato]

After re-reading the OP's question, I used it in the 1990's ;)

[Tin Can]

Online manuals are available and I have several original manuals if anyone needs more info.

These manuals show an evolution of technology. The mentioned gradient GG appears to be sandblasted and at first Elwood used one thin piece of that and one more of clear glass. Later they supplied hotter and more powerful special long neck Opal bulbs. They suggested using at least 4 layers of common soda ash glass as 'Heat Glass' explaining layers were better than one thick piece.

IMHO, the 5X7 was best as it seems a sweet spot compared to the 8x10.

They offered wall models and the 'J' frame in OP's image is designed to tilt horizontally.

I doubt the baseboard is original, my 8X10 Elwood has a massive cast iron base casting, needed to balance the weight in horizontal wall projection position.
The mirror plated domes are spun copper and very fragile.

The one pictured is also modified with strut suspension of the lens stage, missing the gear drive lens stage arm and has replacement bellows.

The giant and in my eyes beautiful, 'J' frame was cast both in iron and aluminum, at least from my two 8X10 examples.

I also have a cast iron 'J' 5x7 which is very much like the 8X10 but has gear driven neg masking vs sliding panels. A 5x7 wall mount completes my Elwood collection. I seek a 2x3 version.

I may be obtaining an all black all wood 5X7 Elwood from Ohio...

[jnantz]

hi les

not sure if the bulbs it takes are like a solar's bulbs
but they are hard to find, and have a very long neck
don's bulbs used to carry them on eBay ... i haven't seen
them for sale for a long long time ... have fun with your new toy !
john

[Tin Can]

hi les

not sure if the bulbs it takes are like a solar's bulbs
but they are hard to find, and have a very long neck
don's bulbs used to carry them on eBay ... i haven't seen
them for sale for a long long time ... have fun with your new toy !
john

I think it's a museum display.

[mdarnton]

I'm always amused and a bit disturbed when something from my childhood ends up on the web or Ebay as being from the early 1900s or even 1800s....... This enlarger wouldn't be something from 1900--more like 1940-1950. A 1900 enlarger would look more like a wooden camera, used horizontally---something more along the line of this:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24637/24637-h/images/ilload06.png

[Tin Can]

I'm always amused and a bit disturbed when something from my childhood ends up on the web or Ebay as being from the early 1900s or even 1800s....... This enlarger wouldn't be something from 1900--more like 1940-1950. A 1900 enlarger would look more like a wooden camera, used horizontally---something more along the line of this:

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24637/24637-h/images/ilload06.png

Here's a few pages from the 1938 Elwood product catalog, 70 pages long. All very interesting.

135355135356135357135358

[Leszek Vogt]

Randy, your guess is correct. I saw this enlarger in a museum in Valdez, AK....and was wondering.

Michael, the writing next to enlarger clearly stated 1900 and not 1900's. Unfortunately, I was unable to find any manuf tags on this piece to confirm anything.

Les