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Thread: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

  1. #1

    Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Alright I have decided to go full blown restore on my camera, I didnt see any restoration areas in the forums but if there are I will move this there!

    I would like some viewpoints, opinions and pictures, pictures, pictures if possible.

    Im starting with the bellows and my first question is, do most prefer a Flat, semi gloss or gloss on their bellows, I have this material that I used on my audio treatment in my Home theater and its hard to take a picture of so I will include 2, it falls in between closer to the darker.




    Its called Duck cloth and resembles canvas as much as cloth, the original bellows appear to be canvas with paint or a rubbery substance "painted/rolled" on, Im headed to a materials store as well as a leather store to take a gander in a little while.

    As you can tell from the pics, the camera is in good but not great shape. Im going for a new but old finish, this is easy enough with cabinet dye and Waterlox original 1909.

    Does anyone know if these had a flat, semi, or gloss on the wood when new? You would have to be 110 years old to actually know for sure but is there any way of knowing?

    On the lenses, after cleaning, do you guys spray a protective coating on them and if so, same question flat, semi or gloss? My guess was original was a laquer

  2. #2

    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Oh and I forgot to ask about the shutters, did these cameras have shutters originally, did Voightlander have shutters or did photographers buy an Ilexpo shutter? I have several people that have working Ilexpos on the forums here and I cant see from the pictures if they are thin and fit into the original Lens board spot and then you get different 6-3/4 lens boards or.........

    Are they basically a replacement for the original lens board with the same edge design?

  3. #3

    Join Date
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    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    All the Century studio cameras I've seen are a semigloss finish. The field cameras were usually gloss.

    On the lenses, they were gloss lacquered, and each manufacturer added natural dyes that changed the color slightly, most went towards golden yellow/orange. The Voigtlanders were more clear. There is a discussion in this forum and a guy that did a pretty good replica color. What I've done on the few lenses I've polished (again, only if they have already had the original lacquer polished off) is leave them in the white, and cover with a little Renaissance Wax. That way, you can touch up the polish from time to time. Without wax, polished brass will patina in a few short years, especially if handled or in a poor environment. I'm sure your dad had polished these at some point, so their patina isn't really that old.

  4. #4
    loujon
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    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Hi Mark

    Welcome!

    "Are they basically a replacement for the original lens board with the same edge design?"

    Yes they replace the 9x9 board then you mount your lenses on 6 3/4 lens boards. Saves a bit of cash over buying a packard for every lens you'll own.

    I have added a snap of a Ilexpo shutter installed on century.the shutter mechanism is in the rear of the shutter covered by a metal plate for protection. the top tab opens the shutter for viewing & the bottom tab moves the shutter from time 15th- 25th of a second. The other is bulb setting. Sometimes they synced & most time not. This one has flash sync.

  5. #5
    loujon
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    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Sorry I goofed & removed the snap. I was trying to add another snap with front of Ilexpo & a series IV Euryskop #5 while removing previous snap.
    I believe this is one of your lenses.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails DSC_1259.jpg  

  6. #6

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    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Mark,

    Hello and welcome!

    I cringe at the thought of you disassembling this lovely camera. I would think twice before committing, and if you still decide to restore, think twice again. Your camera is in very good, unmolested condition. I would recommend you clean the camera, replace the bellows with a professionally made one, and give yourself a solid pat on the back for returning a fine camera to service. Whatever you do, don't polish those brass lenses, they've earned their patina.

    Do you have any of the photos your Father made with this camera?

  7. #7

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    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jay DeFehr View Post
    ...Whatever you do, don't polish those brass lenses, they've earned their patina...
    Jay, the only way a lens gets a patina is if someone 10, 50, 100 years ago took the original lacquer off. If the original lacquer is in place they are shiny brass...and should not be polished. But many lenses were polished at some time in the past, leaving the raw brass to tarnish. The original finish is gone. Yes, it looks old, but it can be a lot newer than you think. Try this, polish bright a piece of brass, then handle it a couple times a week for a couple months. You will have an "ancient" patina.

    Gentle polishing of brass that no longer has the varnish is no more damaging than polishing the family sterling silverware. We don't revere (no pun) black, tarnished silverware.

  8. #8

    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Quote Originally Posted by Louis Pacilla View Post
    Hi Mark

    Welcome!

    "Are they basically a replacement for the original lens board with the same edge design?"

    Yes they replace the 9x9 board then you mount your lenses on 6 3/4 lens boards. Saves a bit of cash over buying a packard for every lens you'll own.

    I have added a snap of a Ilexpo shutter installed on century.the shutter mechanism is in the rear of the shutter covered by a metal plate for protection. the top tab opens the shutter for viewing & the bottom tab moves the shutter from time 15th- 25th of a second. The other is bulb setting. Sometimes they synced & most time not. This one has flash sync.
    Thank you so much I figured this was the case but wanted to be sure before I commited to buying, now I just need sme 6.75 lens boards!

  9. #9

    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Quote Originally Posted by Louis Pacilla View Post
    Sorry I goofed & removed the snap. I was trying to add another snap with front of Ilexpo & a series IV Euryskop #5 while removing previous snap.
    I believe this is one of your lenses.
    Yes and thanks again, I may be a lil hosed here. The "Tab" sticking out of the Voightlander must be the iris? My large lens is missing this and I notice inside the lens theres 2 screws and a bracket on opposite sides, my guess is Im missing the original iris?

    Mine is a
    5
    Euryscop

    No.32306

    Voightlander & John
    Braunschneig

    Can I find that "iris" if thats what its missing, Im also missing lens caps but have a lens hood

  10. #10

    Re: Restoration of Century Grand Studio, Opinions welcome!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jay DeFehr View Post
    Mark,

    Hello and welcome!

    I cringe at the thought of you disassembling this lovely camera. I would think twice before committing, and if you still decide to restore, think twice again. Your camera is in very good, unmolested condition. I would recommend you clean the camera, replace the bellows with a professionally made one, and give yourself a solid pat on the back for returning a fine camera to service. Whatever you do, don't polish those brass lenses, they've earned their patina.

    Do you have any of the photos your Father made with this camera?
    The photos we originally took were on proof paper from what I remember because they slowly disappeared with inside lighting. Im giving making my own bellows a quick try with "stuff" I have laying about. I already have the stiffeners cut in about 30 minutes, Im sort of using this guys plans because I like his results and it appears hes researched well http://my.net-link.net/~jsmigiel/bellows.html

    Cutting stiffeners, the tape speeds up the process considerably


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