Date this 5x7 Folmer & Schwing with FPS

[werra]

Hello all,

Can anyone help to date the pictured camera? This is older bother of 5x7 Speed Graphic if I understand correctly? Front plate says Folmer & Schwing, divison of Kodak Co, Rochester.
Interestingly there seem never been any leather covering, just naked wood, painted black. Or it has been carefully removed sometime in the past.
Shutter speeds go the usual 1/10-1/1000, or at least did when new Currently the slower speeds are OK, faster ones are a bit tricky as the curtain has pinholes.
But other than that it is in great usable shape for 100(?) years old camera. Weighs pretty much the same as metal 4x5 Super Graphic.




Enno

[dsphotog]

According to McKeown's camera price guide...
Folmer & Schwing (NYC) 1887
Folmer & Schwing Mfg Co (NYC) 1890
Folmer & Schwing (Rochester) Eastman Kodak Co. 1905
Folmer & Schwing Division E.K.C. 1907,
Folmer & Schwing Dept. E.K.C. 1917
Folmer Graflex Corp 1926
Graflex Inc 1945

So your camera seems to be from between 1907-1917
Great camera!

[werra]

Thank you, David.

I was pretty much in the ballpark with the age guess then.
I was looking for portable 5x7 for the long time and this animal turned up. Mostly due the lacking description (had to guess the film size by the pictures) managed to get it for $50. Shipping over the Atlantic was more expensive
For me it was quite a win on the lottery.

Enno

[dsphotog]

You might also enjoy, www.graflex.org
Happy shooting!

[werra]

Yes, digged thru the the graflex.org before asking actually. Just all that Folmer/Graflex/Kodak relationship is a bit puzzling at first glance
Regards.

[dsphotog]

According to Graflex.org, it looks like a "top handle" Speed, that was made between 1912-1927,
so as labeled, your camera is narrowed down to 1912-1917.