We MUST be insane!

[Dorothy Blum Cooper]

My husband's line is the more people dive into the digital age, the further back we go with equipment. Kinda makes what we do unique!!

While the 'newest' cameras I shoot with are from the 70's/80's, I think we've outdone ourselves with this one...actually, my husband has!

We found this monster locally and...well, Bobby just had to pick it up since he recently 'dipped' into wet plate photography. What will we do with it?

http://www.dorothyblumcooper.com/AnthonyCamera01.jpg

http://www.dorothyblumcooper.com/AnthonyCamera02.jpg

http://www.dorothyblumcooper.com/AnthonyCamera03.jpg

http://www.dorothyblumcooper.com/AnthonyCamera04.jpg

Below was the description for the camera:

LARGE DOUBLE BELLOWS STUDIO CAMERA VERY WELL CRAFTED OF SOLID MAHOGANY WOOD WITH BEAUTIFUL DOVETAIL CONSTRUCTION, ON ORIGINAL STAND.THIS CAMERA HAS MANY ADJUSTMENTS FOR ANGLE; SIDE, FORWARD, TILT. IT CAN COMPRESS TO FOLD THE BELLOWS TOGETHER OR EXPAND. IT SITS ON A SOLID WOOD STAND WHICH HAS MULTIPLE GEARS FOR ADJUSTING HEIGHT AND ANGLE AS WELL. THE STAND HAS TWO WOODEN CASTER WHEELS ON THE BACK WHICH ARE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. The camera sits on a newer piece of wood which was probably added later to maximize the stability of the camera. THE FRONT PLATE IS MARKED: E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. Manufacturer 591 Broadway, NY
THE LENS IS MARKED : Gundlach Manhatten Optical Co. Rochester, NY
STAMPED ON THE BACK SLIDING BOARD: (insised in the wood) PAT. OCT 20, 1896, PAT. MAY 22, 94 THE PLATE ON THE BACK PIECE READS: E. & H.T. Anthony & Co

The back is a side-by-side -- ground glass on the right, plate holder on the left. While the back opening is 13.5" by 13.5" -- the holder on it is only 5 x 8.5"

[roteague]

Interesting camera, nice look back in history. FWIW, I prefer new cameras (my 4x5 is only 6 yrs old) and newer lenses.

[Ole Tjugen]

Interesting...

You need a wet-plate holder for that? :D

[reellis67]

Let me be the first to say Nice Find! Really, that's a nice camera, and you got what appears to be an original stand. That ought to be a blast to use...

- Randy

[naturephoto1]

But, I want to see the backpack to take that out into the field. :eek: :D

Rich

[BrianShaw]

Mount it in the bed of a pickup truck and photograph tailgaters.

[paulr]

Mount it in the bed of a pickup truck and photograph tailgaters.

You'll look like you're driving a home-made victorian tank.

[C. D. Keth]

...and indeed you might be. I'm sure you can pop the glass out of that lens and have a good 3 or 4 pounder cannon!

[Jim Galli]

What will we do with it?


Well, make pictures of course. And grand ones at that. I have that same stand under my 11X14 studio camera. It's well taxed with that one.

[Mike Long]

Is that crank underneath the autofocus?

[Pat Kearns]

Is that a Hasselblad :D ? I couldn't resist.

[John Cahill]

The Anthony people made a real monster, that's for sure. BTW, was it not the Anthony company which merged with Scovill, Inc, to become Ansco?

[Dan Fromm]

"What will we do with it?"

Stand people up in front of it and shoot them.

[Ralph Barker]

Lovely camera, Dorothy, although the stand is a little boxy. ;)

Now, all you need is an appropriate lighting setup.

[Dorothy Blum Cooper]

You'll look like you're driving a home-made victorian tank.

Ah...then it will go perfectly in our Victorian Home (ca. 1890)!!


Now, all you need is an appropriate lighting setup.

Oh great! And here I thought I was getting close to the end of our list!!!

[Paul Ewins]

Very impressive. It sounds like it started life as an 11x14 and only the reducing back remains. It shouldn't be too hard to get an 11x14 or 8x10 back made, if that's what you want.

[Capocheny]

What will we do with it?

Hi Dorothy,

That's an easy question to answer...

Between shooting sessions... rent it out to the movie studios! :)

I'll bet that's a hoot of a camera to take pictures with! :)

Cheers

[Bob Gentile]

A local camera shop has a couple of those in their window. Not the exact model, but very similar. They're fully functional, although I believe they use them more to catch the eye of passers-by. Kinda like a "cigar store Indian." Every time I stop in I have to stop and marvel at them.

[Scott Davis]

Dorothy- I think I have the younger sibling to yours - I could get an 8x10 back maxiumum on mine. I've got more restoration work to do with mine but it will be a simple matter nonetheless. I love the fact that they take 9" lensboards... makes it easy to mount my big packard shutter and my brass cannon petzval lens.

[snuck]

well if it wears on you you can make it into a really big enlarger....