Marlow Brothers shutter

[peter brooks]

I couldn't resist this tiny lens and its delightfully simple matching rotary shutter. The shutter has a joined M and B logo, which I'm pretty sure is Marlow Brothers of Birmingham, UK. They only traded as Marlow Brothers for a short period and if this is correct then it dates from between 1893 and 1904.

The shutter is in need of some attention - it works if wound to the farthest notch but sticks on the other two. It obviously need plenty of 'oomph' to travel the entire distance. The narrowest bit of the aluminium has a kink in it (which will need some gentle 'adjustment'), and this can't be helping.

My question is - what is the purpose of the two black pieces that are mounted on the silver aluminium disk? The larger of them is itself made up of two pieces.

The shutter has some similarities to the one on this camera on the Early Photography website.

The lens appears to be a simple meniscus and has three rotating stops - any guesses as to what plate size this would have been for?









Many thanks for any info.

[Andrew Plume]

Hi Peter

Unless I'm way out, they set the speed of the shutter and judging by the size of the lens, it looks like for 'Quarter-Plate'

regards

Andrew

[peter brooks]

Hi Andrew, thanks for the reply - I think I may have found a partial answer at least.

Using some extra strong glasses to aid my ageing eyesight the black item shaped like a pointer points to a tiny 'T' at on the aluminium disk. There is another character but I can't make it out - presumably it is an 'I' (or 'B') although I can't see how the extra bits of metal would provide a 'T' function. Oh well.

The speed is set I think by engaging one the three notches on the perimeter of the disk (two are visible in photos 3 and 4) with the triangular shape at the disk end of the 'trigger' (not really visible in the photos). Presumably the varying amount of tension put on the spring will determine the speed of travel of the disk.

Yes, Quarter Plate looks about right by the size of image it casts - I'll have to try it!

Thanks again,
Peter

[Ron (Netherlands)]

comes close to this one (Lancasters rotary) ...found on the net



other one....