My oldest is a Darlot with the cone centreliseur from 1864, dated on the front lens element. I use it more than any other lens I won.
Richard
My oldest is a Darlot with the cone centreliseur from 1864, dated on the front lens element. I use it more than any other lens I won.
Richard
My oldest lens is probably a 16.5" coated f7.7 Dagor in the original Universal V shutter. Being coated probably dates it's manufacture to sometime in the mid to late '40's.
If not this one, I have a "recent model" Wollensak Tele-Raptar 15" lens.
Dear Richard!
"Ross Petzval from 1842/43".
Very impressive. So it is signed A.Rofs and has a serial number around or under 500? Love to see a image of the engraving?
Dear Sven!
"one with a crest and J S".
This sounds like a J. Lancaster & Son - early type. These have the City of Birmingham crest/shield with the initials J L S at the top. The L is often difficult to see. At the bottom there is often a B for Birmingham. Their distinctive engraving came later.
Steven, your wish is my command.Originally Posted by Steven Tribe
But have I got the date wrong (S/N 591) ?!? And here I thought it hailed from the dawn of photography! I would appreciate a more precise estimate of the year of manufacture from anyone who can help!
The glass is remarkably clean (see below) and the lens is remarkably sharp (in the middle) but I'm wondering if the brass could, or more importantly, SHOULD be cleaned up?
When I was 16 I thought my father the stupidest man in the world; when I reached 21, I was astounded by how much he had learned in just 5 years!
-appropriated from Mark Twain
Richard, in the case of this lens, I would not polish it. Leave it as is, even speckled and ugly. I have an early Dallmeyer that is the same way, and won't touch it. The general guidelines are:
Don't polish if it's an early or rare design.
Don't polish if there is more than 75% original varnish.
Possibly polish if it's been polished before and has no original varnish.
Possibly polish if it's badly corroded or has extensive verdigris.
Garrett
flickr galleries
Thanks Garrett.
When I was 16 I thought my father the stupidest man in the world; when I reached 21, I was astounded by how much he had learned in just 5 years!
-appropriated from Mark Twain
My oldest lens is a no-name rapid rectilinear circa 1895. I suspect it is a B&L lens engraved with a dealer's name. It is engraved only "Rapid Rectilinear, 61/2x81/2, HK and Co SF". Focal length is approximately 12".
Peter Gomena
Here is one that I polished because it looked like it had been dug out of an old barn. I could not tell what the maker was, it was terribly corroded and liable to continue to deteriorate. It was not "patina" but "corrosion". So I tried to restore it, discovered it was an early CC Harrison. Unfortuntately, the corrosion had etched and pitted the metal badly. I'm still not sure it looked better after.
Garrett
flickr galleries
I have a small no-name barrel [no appeture] Petzval that is good for 6x9. I took the cells out to clean it up. Written on the side was Darlot 1864.
It is really a fun lens, I like it.
I think your date of 1843/44 is just possible, Richard. Ross dates for the 1840's are unknown but believed to be under the 1,000 (serial numberwise). Looking at the historical sequence - Petzval - Voigtländer - The great Dispute - Dietzel competition, 1843 is just about the earliest that Ross would have made a clone - even though he was geographically removed from the Central European courts.
Thanks for posting the engraving. I think it is excellent condition!
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