12" Dallmeyer Anastigmat f3.5 Soft Focus Lens

[Craig Tuffin]

I've happened upon this lens but don't know much about it. I know it's a Dallmeyer and it's a soft focus lens (and in terrific condition) but I don't know much else.



Such as:

a) How does it compare to the earlier petzval design lenses for soft focus. I do realize that it's a different lens set-up and corrected for a flat field but specifically it's soft focus quality...
b) What age is it approximately (serial number 294159)
c) What's it worth?...I actually haven't seen one before...
d) How do they compare to other anastigmat lenses such as the Cooke's etc.?

...really any information would be helpful to get a bearing on it.

Cheers,

Craig

[Steven Tribe]

This is bit like the Voigtländer Heliar - in that the usual version is without the adjustable soft focus possibility - other than aperture. Like the Heliar Universal, this soft adjustment version is quite uncommon (that means "in demand"). Vade Mecum has a reasonable write-up.