What should I do with this one?

[Herb Cunningham]

I have a Wollensak 12 in "multi focal lens, barrel with iris, great big brass lens, in good shape iris marked in even numbers 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 11.7EX.

I was going to use this on a project but it got put in a cabinet and never mounted. Looks like somebody could use it, but I have no clue as to who. (whom?)

[Mark Sampson]

Those sound like Universal or 'U.S.' f/stop markings. That system was popular in the early years of the last century, '4'= f/8 as I recall. Not really my cup of tea, but of course there are many antique lens aficionados on this forum. Someone will know its actual age and lens design; and someone will want to use it, I'm sure.

[Carsten Wolff]

I have a Wollensak 12 in "multi focal lens, barrel with iris, great big brass lens, in good shape iris marked in even numbers 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 and 11.7EX.

I was going to use this on a project but it got put in a cabinet and never mounted. Looks like somebody could use it, but I have no clue as to who. (whom?)

.... one of the "Beach" - modded lenses, it seems.... is it complete? Jim Galli had one once I think, in a shutter. See:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/wollensak-beach-multifocal-series-b.17396/
Have you not tried it? Put it in the classifieds, if you want to pass it on. Not sure what its worth; I'd probably raise my hand if I could afford another lens to play with lol. ... someone else is bound to.

[Jim Jones]

The U. S. system of apertures started at 1 (f/4) and doubled for each one stop decrease in exposure. U.S. 4 therefore does equal f/8.

[xkaes]

The U. S. system of apertures started at 1 (f/4) and doubled for each one stop decrease in exposure. U.S. 4 therefore does equal f/8.

Is this correct?

1 - f4
2 - f5.6
3 - f?
4 - f8
5 - f?
6 - f?
7 - f?
8 - f11
9 - f?
10 - f?
11- f?

Sounds like the crazy system than Schneider used on their M-Componons.

[Chauncey Walden]

The Uniform Standard (US) system is what Jim said (1 2 4 8 16 32 64 128 256 = f/4 5.6 8 11 16 22 32 45 64). The lens is not marked in US or f/ but in some other kind of system - probably a relative exposure time.

[Jim Jones]

I have an old compound shutter marked in linear numbers as Herb described and mounted in what may be part of a camera for optical experiments. That shutter isn't accessible now, but the numbers may be the aperture diameter in mm.

[John Kasaian]

Put that puppy on a lens board and she what she'll do!

[goamules]

Does is say Series A (soft focus) or Series B (sharp lens) on it?

[Alan Gales]

Sell it on Ebay. Just say that it is rare and collectable and of course in mint condition.