Holmes, Booth & Haydens Lenses

[CCHarrison]

Gordon

On your site: "curved (or bell) shaped lens hoods, while later lenses had straight sided lens hoods, though the period when that changed has not yet been determined"


I have learned that both HBH and CC Harrison lenses with straight hoods were used on lenses for stereo cameras
while the curved hood was used for normal lenses ( and allowed for more shielding of the lens ). If the stereo lenses had curved hoods, the close proximity of the lenses and their hoods, would collide with each other - so they used straight hoods to deal with this issue.

below is a tintype of mine showing a circa 1860's strereo camera to help illustrate the point.


So, I believe if your HBH or CCH lens has a straight hood, it was once part of a stereo pair. If it has a curved, bell shape hood, it sold as a normal, portrait lens.

Dan

[Gordon Moat]

Hello Dan,

A couple other HB&H aficionados got me started on the curved bell or straight lens hood as a possible production change indicator. The idea is that perhaps it might provide some insight into simplification of later produced lenses. Given enough lens samples, the hope was that a specific year might indicate change in production.

Unfortunately, that idea has not been living up to recent examples. I had thought perhaps the smaller lenses became simplified later in production, and thus the straight hoods. Many of the smaller plate later lenses have somewhat simpler finish machining on them, though I do not have a clear indication of when that started. This is also made more difficult in that the larger plate lenses are mostly as ornate in finish work as the earlier lenses.

Your finding of the stereo pair lenses makes more sense than a production change. It also might alter the production figures. One thing that would help with this is knowing when stereo photography started to be practiced. If it was after 1860, then it is not a good explanation for earlier lenses, though it is possible that the lens hood was changed later on by an early user.

My own HB&H No. 1875 has a curved hood. I feel very confident that it is original, since it has a couple scribed alignment marks that exactly match when the hood is screwed on; the scribes being between the hood and barrel edge, and the patina exactly matches. Most of the bell shaped hoods for HB&H lenses that I have seen match closely the style of my early No. 1875.

I don't know that I could claim that all straight hoods indicate origination as stereo pairs. There could be straight hoods on lenses that were not part of a stereo pair, or the straight hood could be a later item, or simply a choice at the time of order. It is an interesting possibility, and I will have to come up with a way to express it, and hopefully find out more when more examples become known. At the moment, there are no consecutive serial number lenses on the list.

Thanks again Dan. You are a great resource of information.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

[CCHarrison]

Hi Gene

Stereo imaging had been going prior to 1839, but stereographic images started with Dags and exploded on the scene in the 1850's with the invention(s) of the stereoscope. By 1860, millions and millions of stereocards were being produced and viewed by Brewster and Holmes style stereo viewers.

see here http://www.rleggat.com/photohistory/...y/stereosc.htm


I have confirmed the curved vs straight hood issue, with Pete Schultz, who is a very private person, but an absolute authority on early american photographica.

Here is another supporting document. Here is an 1858 book on photography which discusses the various forms and types of Stereo photography....so stereo cameras/lenses are fully established by the late 1850's...

http://books.google.com/books?id=b3A...as_pt=ALLTYPES


Hope this helps

Dan

[Gordon Moat]

Okay, with the first linked site, it states stereoscope patent of 1853. While I have not seen HB&H lenses with straight sided lens hoods in the low serial numbers, I believe it should be possible for those to exist. Ideally I would find two consecutive serial numbers, and both those with straight sided hoods, but these are still quite rare lenses, so probably not likely to happen in the future.

This brings up another point, which was the radial drive and script placement. So far all HB&H lenses I have viewed have the radial drive placed to the left of the script on the barrel. It would be interesting to find an old HB&H lens where this was reversed, like a stereo paired lens from the right side (viewed from front) of a camera.

Anyway, this is enough information for me to update the list text. I am left with the finish machining and stamped serial numbers as the few subtle indicators of production changes. Hopefully I will continue to find contributers to help me add to the listing. There are just over 40 lenses now listed, which I think is still a small sample. It's still fun and interesting to dig into this early photographic history.

Thanks!

Gordon

[CCHarrison]

Gordon

Here is more evidence regarding "straight" lens hoods being used on stereo cameras, and the "flared" or "bell" lens hoods for use on single plate cameras.

See this auction - LOT 564

http://www.artfact.com/catalog/searc...=FALSE&row=551

Best
Dan

[Gordon Moat]

Nice. Sequential serial numbers, just as I expected. I still have never seen an HB&H with a right side radial drive, though it would have been simpler to rotate the lens than to change the engraving location. If I ever get a report that puts sequential numbers onto the HB&H list, I will check to see if the lens hood is straight.

The current serial number list is still small at just over 40 lenses. It is possible the few HB&H lenses, with straight lens hoods, on this list are all from a stereo pair. However, without that sequential number paired lens, I don't feel comfortable suggesting that all lenses with straight sided hoods were part of a stereo pair; best I could state would be that they might be part of a stereo pair.

Once again, thank you Dan for sharing this great research. It was a very interesting time in history, and we are now getting a better look into it.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

[CCHarrison]

Hi Gordon,

Here's a pic of a stereo pair of Harrison lenses...notice the left-right drives and the straight, narrow lenshood(s).

Best

Dan
__________________

[Gordon Moat]

Hi Dan,

Any idea on the engraving on those Harrison lenses? I would expect both to be engraved on the bottom.

Thanks!

Gordon

[CCHarrison]

I dont know the location of the engraving since that was the only photo I have of the stereo pair.

Best

Dan

[CCHarrison]

# 632 located on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/DAGUERREIAN-LENS...1%7C240%3A1318

Dan