Cooke Portrait Lens Serial Numbers

[karl french]

Is anyone keeping a database of Cooke Portrait Anastigmat (i.e. with soft focus adjustment) lens serial numbers? I just picked up a 12.75" IIB and thought it would be interesting to start compiling serial numbers for Series I, II, & VI. Just in the last week I've been able to gather over 100 lenses worth of data and start to see some year/serial number connection.

Does anyone know when the transition from non-knuckler to knuckler started in terms of serial numbers? (1924 in terms of date, I know) I'm guessing somewhere around 115,XXX.
I'm also trying to establish the earliest serial number for each series since there is a fairly good sense of what year each series started.

I have a copy of the Lens Collectors Vade Mecum and I've checked various soft focus lens resources online (i.e. antiquecameras.net.) I'm putting together a Google sheet so that folks can add their lens series and serial numbers to the database if they like.

[Steven Tribe]

I am not certain that there was an abrupt change from barrel to knuckler versions. There must have been a market for the significantly lighter early versions. There were a quite a large number of totally french language engraved Cookes sold through the Paris agent.

[karl french]

Yes, mine has the French engraving. I feel like I've seen at least one with German engraving as well.

114165 is a non-knuckler II/14.5"
116354 is a knuckler II/10.5"

[Amedeus]

24768 for a Series VI, 18.4" f5.6 non-knuckler, has two ball shaped handles to adjust aperture and SF ring.

I have 4 more that I need to pull out of storage ... still in moving mode ...

Cheers,

[Tin Can]

No French on either

125439 Series II 10-1/2 inch f4.5 Knuckle
56973 Series II 14-1/2 inch f4.5 No Knuckle

I am interested in dates and the file.

Thanks!

[karl french]

Excellent. Thank you. Neither of those were on my list.

[Jim Galli]

Mine run the gamut and perhaps span 60+ years. I have No. 3262 13" Series II, with rear thread spacing, 125357 is a 15 1/2" Series VI, #186545 is my latest and may be on your list having just exited Ebay recently, it is 13" Series VI, and last and newest is Series IIE 503942 12 3/4" factory single coated and I believe from about 1957. All are spectacular, but you did not need me to tell you that. So I'll claim oldest and newest until someone bumps me.

Oops. Forgot the big 18" Series VI upstairs. I'll get that number shortly. Pretty bad when you forget how many Cooke's you have.

[Mark Sawyer]

Mine run the gamut and perhaps span 60+ years. I have No. 3262 13" Series II, with rear thread spacing, 125357 is a 15 1/2" Series VI, #186545 is my latest and may be on your list having just exited Ebay recently, it is 13" Series VI, and last and newest is Series IIE 503942 12 3/4" factory single coated and I believe from about 1957. All are spectacular, but you did not need me to tell you that. So I'll claim oldest and newest until someone bumps me.

Oops. Forgot the big 18" Series VI upstairs. I'll get that number shortly. Pretty bad when you forget how many Cooke's you have.

Jim, I must say I'm really disappointed in you! You're hoarding FIVE of these fine lenses, when so many others want them? One is fine, two is acceptable, three or four is getting greedy, but five is just being decadent. You should be ashamed of yourself!

Anyways, here are mine:

13-inch Series II f/4.5 Pre-Knuckler, 54639
14.5-inch Series II f/4.5 Pre-Knuckler, 90752
16-inch Series II f/4.5 Pre-Knuckler, 31266 (coated & finished in black by Burke & James)
10.5-inch Series II f/4.5 Knuckler, 122514
12.5-inch Series IIA f/3.5 Knuckler, 195357
15.5-inch Series VIA f/5.6 Knuckler, 232440

[Jim Galli]

Jim, I must say I'm really disappointed in you! You're hoarding FIVE of these fine lenses, when so many others want them? One is fine, two is acceptable, three or four is getting greedy, but five is just being decadent. You should be ashamed of yourself!

Anyways, here are mine:

13-inch Series II f/4.5 Pre-Knuckler, 54639
14.5-inch Series II f/4.5 Pre-Knuckler, 90752
16-inch Series II f/4.5 Pre-Knuckler, 31266 (coated & finished in black by Burke & James)
10.5-inch Series II f/4.5 Knuckler, 122514
12.5-inch Series IIA f/3.5 Knuckler, 195357
15.5-inch Series VIA f/5.6 Knuckler, 232440

I'm so ashamed. Anyways, my 18" Series VI knuckler is no. 202020. Better late than never.

[Mark Sawyer]

I'm so ashamed...

Oh, I'm sure!

BTW, for comparison purposes, my 18-inch Cooke Achromatic Portrait Lens (a descendant of the Cooke RV/RVP) is no. 17324.