What do I have? Century 7A, Packard shutter, Usener lens

[davidk]

-Is this a Century 7A?

-What does the “A” designate?

-The Packard shutter had a rubber band attached to it when I purchased it. The plunger will not fall downward without it. Is it broken? Am I missing a part? Does it just need to be cleaned? Or is the rubber band required?

-Is the 4x5 back in the photo original?

-Is the back for sheet film or glass plates?

-Anyone know where I can purchase an original 8x10 or 5x7 back for this camera?

-The lens is engraved No 8034 CF Usener New York. Can anyone tell me its age? Focal length? Anything else about it?

-Two waterhouse stop plates were included. How many would be used with that lens?



Site will only allow to post 4 pics. More pics in next post - Sorry, don't know why I can't post vertical pics.

[davidk]

[Peter De Smidt]

It looks like a 7a. Richard Ritter can make you a back. Try cleaning the Packard.

[Paul Ewins]

Interesting that the engraving for the serial number is so similar to the way Voigtlander did it. I wonder if the engraver had practice doing numbers for the Voigtlander fakes. I don't know what the A in 7A means, but I own an 8x10 1B which was made in the UK, so there maybe something about the location or market involved.

[davidk]

It looks like a 7a. Richard Ritter can make you a back. Try cleaning the Packard.

I found him and emailed him. Looking for an old back, not to have a new one made

[Peter De Smidt]

Well, then, Ebay or here. Post a WTB when you meet the for sale forum requirements. I expect they're pretty rare, as anyone with a camera would be foolish to sell the 8x10 back.

[goamules]

The Usener lens is an American radial drive Petzval portrait lens. It is from an earlier generation than the camera, he made the glass for several other lens companies, such as Holmes Booth Haydens. I'd have to check my notes for then he actually made and engraved his own brass barrels, but shortly after the Civil War. I'd say it's from about 1868. There is no way for us to tell you the focal length, there are no records, and they didn't mark the lenses with sizes. You have the lens, focus the camera on a distant tree, measure from the ground glass to the waterhouse slot. That's the focal length. They would have sold it with a full set of stops, about 5-7 during that time.

The camera is from about 1901.

Someone got a little ambitious cleaning and polishing the lens, unfortunately, and removed any patina it would have had. It was overpolished.

[davidk]

The Usener lens is an American radial drive Petzval portrait lens. It is from an earlier generation than the camera, he made the glass for several other lens companies, such as Holmes Booth Haydens. I'd have to check my notes for then he actually made and engraved his own brass barrels, but shortly after the Civil War. I'd say it's from about 1868. There is no way for us to tell you the focal length, there are no records, and they didn't mark the lenses with sizes. You have the lens, focus the camera on a distant tree, measure from the ground glass to the waterhouse slot. That's the focal length. They would have sold it with a full set of stops, about 5-7 during that time.

The camera is from about 1901.

Someone got a little ambitious cleaning and polishing the lens, unfortunately, and removed any patina it would have had. It was overpolished.

Thanks for the info. I had no idea how to measure the focal length, thanks. Yes, it was over polished. I purchased it that way. I would have preferred the original patina as well.

[goamules]

It's not that big a deal. Look at it this way; all brass lenses were polished then varnished to keep them shiny. Over the years, some makes' varnish wears off (especially American lenses, but part of that is they are a lot older than most of the Dallmeyers you see). The exposed brass becomes tarnished, and like everyone does to sterling silver, they polished it. It was probably polished 2, 3, or 10 times since 1875 or so. So if done carefully, it's not that bad, the "original finish" is varnished brass, not "patina." If you handle your shiny lens for a year or two, and don't put a coat of wax on it (car wax, renaissance wax), it too will develop an amazing, "old" patina - in about 5 years.

Useners are good lenses, I have a few of them. That looks like a pretty large one too, which is less common, and more useful. Enjoy it, it will take fantastic portraits!

Here is one of mine, in halfplate size and nickle plated:

[davidk]

Thanks, thats the same engraving as mine. By your measurement method, I calculate it to be 350mm. The engraving looks pristine, so fortunately, the polishing did not damage it