An obscure Velostigmat

[Jim Galli]

This arrived today;

I was comfortable in owning every cataloged variation of Velostigmat and when this one showed up on Ebay I bought it out of curiosity. f5.6??

Series II f4.5 is tessar. Series I f6.8 or f6.3 is convertible similar to a Protar. Series III is wide angle. Series IV is cheapo f6.3 dialyt. etc.

This one has no Series no. No focal length given, and f5.6 is outside of the cataloged norm.

So upon inspection it is in lovely shape, and it's a triplet of 11 1/2" focus. Triplet's only cover about 50 degrees so that makes this a full plate size.

Has anyone ever seen this advertised or cataloged?

Ran out of time this week to make images, but I'll pick it up on Friday and see if it casts a spell on me. It's definitely from the period with the finish I love. Gorgeous quality. Oh, and it's small. Flange size is standard #4 like a 9 1/2" f4.5 would be.

Info appreciated. Love a mystery. Love solving it even more. Thanks!

[Jim Galli]

Nobody eh? Wow this thing must be worth a fortune since I have the only example on earth

[jb7]

It can't be obscure, if you can see through it...

Glass looks to be in lovely shape-

[cdholden]

Maybe an enlarging lens?
Even so, I'd still expect to see a focal length or recommended format size.

[Richard Rankin]

Maybe the LGM dropped it off in the wrong dimension and somewhere parallel to you, a guy is puzzled by having the only Series II f4.5 tessar on earth...

[Jim Galli]

Maybe the LGM dropped it off in the wrong dimension and somewhere parallel to you, a guy is puzzled by having the only Series II f4.5 tessar on earth...

Floyd and the rest of the LGM swear they've never seen one either..........but they lie like a rug.

[cowanw]

http://www.photokb.com/Uwe/Forum.asp...-velostigmatic
Did you see Richard Knoppow's comment about a Optar 5.6 for a Graflex Super-D. Could this be for a similar usage

[cowanw]

http://www.glennview.com/lens.htm
And here is a 230mm Raptar copy lens of 5.6.

[Jim Galli]

http://www.photokb.com/Uwe/Forum.asp...-velostigmatic
Did you see Richard Knoppow's comment about a Optar 5.6 for a Graflex Super-D. Could this be for a similar usage

11 1/2" is too long a focus for one of those reflex cameras, but the thought did cross my mind of a single use item pre-WWII that needed X amount of lenses of this size and type.

[RandyB]

And I thought I was the only person to have this lens since I've not seen it anywhere else. The # on my lens is No 85004. I always thought it was about 300mm, never really measured it, just knew it was long throw. Mine produces a nice image, very good fidelity to the focus, not biting sharp but definately not soft. I usually shoot 4x5 b+w with a 12 or 15 gel Wratten to punch up the contrast a little. Your lens is much prettier than mine. I got mine about 25 years ago from Lens & Repo for $50. I do believe mine is a Tessar, I was able to take the rear group out of the mount ring and I can see cement between two elements. I haven't tried the front group yet.