Suter serial numbers and dates.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Awesome Steven, Thanks.

[lungovw]

Hello,

I just bought in Bièvres:
E. Suter Basel
Nº 32542
Rapid Aplanat Nº 3
F.5

it uses the modern F scale.
I did not measured yet the focal length. But it might be around 40/42 cm

[Steven Tribe]

I still check for serial numbers that extend the range for each model and will update when necesary. Nothing to report yet!

Focal lengths for the aplanat series are in another Suter thread.

[torashi]

Hi, I need some info on an a lens:

E. SUTER Basel

ANASTIGMAT Serie I F 7.2 Nº 5

One of the earlier anastigmats, according to this threads info. S/N. 288**.
It has a 15 blade diaphragm that goes past f/45.
It has no rear element and a dent on the front element, that looks like it was from a burst bubble. Maybe from the time the lens was ground. Am I wrong in assuming the rear element is missing? What kind of design was it? Does anyone have a rear element for it from a lens with a damaged front element?

Thank you very much. Cheers!

[Steven Tribe]

The lens is 100% symmetrical, so you can manage with an extra front or rear lens cell!

Each lens is made up of 4 cemented lenses. There has been some discussion here about which lens design it is a "copy" of.
Perhaps the protar series viia, with an extra lens to avoid patent scandal with Zeiss!

The single lens, mounted at the back, will probably be quite good, if a bit long!

I happen to own the same lens - but one size up. This is no.6 at 400mm. Mine is something of an enigma. The front cell appears to be "kosher" but the whole rear section appears to taken from another Suter (aplanat-type) model. When I remove the rear lens, I can see the original thread for the anstigmatic (Original) rear cell deep down in the aplanat housing!
All modifications have been done very professionally. So your problem is not a new one!

This lens was mostly made in smaller sizes and is found mostly on Suter's own cameras and is quite uncommon in these larger sizes.

[CCHarrison]

Steve - my old Petzval article incorrectly listed Suter in the 1850s - the current Petzval article corrected that. http://antiquecameras.net/petzvallens.html



Suter started in 1878 according to this site http://historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/li...t&app_id=2424& but perhaps lenses came later...

[CCHarrison]

Suter ad- 1878 it is...

[Steven Tribe]

I would take 1878 with a very large pinch of salt!!
I think the achievements at exhibitions before 1888 are not for photographic optics and the date of the advertisment must be post 1893.

Lots of lens making firms started off doing something to do with optical glass (For instance, Grubb with telescopes) before they got into photographic optics. There must have been a desire to give the impression of experience , with company stability and money in the bank.

We have a company in Denmark making jams and marmelade called the "OLd Factory". It started from nothing in the 1970's. They say they were founded in 1880, I believe. The reality is that the first building they used was a converted co-operative Dairy, which had this date in stone above the main entrance!

[torashi]

The lens is 100% symmetrical, so you can manage with an extra front or rear lens cell!

Each lens is made up of 4 cemented lenses. There has been some discussion here about which lens design it is a "copy" of.
Perhaps the protar series viia, with an extra lens to avoid patent scandal with Zeiss!

The single lens, mounted at the back, will probably be quite good, if a bit long!

I happen to own the same lens - but one size up. This is no.6 at 400mm. Mine is something of an enigma. The front cell appears to be "kosher" but the whole rear section appears to taken from another Suter (aplanat-type) model. When I remove the rear lens, I can see the original thread for the anstigmatic (Original) rear cell deep down in the aplanat housing!
All modifications have been done very professionally. So your problem is not a new one!

This lens was mostly made in smaller sizes and is found mostly on Suter's own cameras and is quite uncommon in these larger sizes.

Hi, Steven. Thanks for the response. Yes, I've read a bit around here on some threads on Suter lenses, and many state the 4+4 configuration. In fact, I stumbled upon a pdf copy of the "Yearbook for Photography and reproduction technology for the year 1901" (german: "Jahrbuch für Photographie und Reproduktionstechnik für das Jahr 1901") where they describe "Suter's new double anastigmat, comprised of two symmetrical halves of four lenses each". That just about clears it up on the design and that half of it is in fact missing. From the drawing, I can say the front element and the mounting flange are no more *poof*.
So, I know what you mean with the lens at the back. I happen to own a convertible Symmar 5.6/135mm lens, where you remove the front group to get an 1:12/235. Almost double the focal lengt, so this could be around f14.4/660mm with only one lens group. Upon further reading the small article dedicated to this line of lenses on pages 72-73 states that "Each of the lens halves (groups) delivers even at full aperture a sharp and even image at double the focal lenght of the double objective".
I'm attaching the article, including the drawing and the table describing the whole lens lineup. It even has prices on it! <3 . Steven, I hope this brings you some more relevant information on the lens you own, and to others in the future.
If anyone is interested in the whole translation, please let me know (I'll just write it in a whole new post). I'm also interested in putting up a wanted thread for the front (or just another rear element) and maybe the mounting flange for this lens. Can anyone point it out for me, please?
Cheers!

[Steven Tribe]

Very useful. It also confirms that the start date for this lens was around 1900. The coverage figure confirms what I expected and being close to Protar VIIa figures.

I think you will be able to find a flange as it is mm and the same selection of semi standard diameters was used by many German/French makers and this is the period of machine cut threads. I am more doubtful about getting a replacement front/rear cell, as sales figures were low!

For your amusement, I enclose some photos of my no. 6 400mm. You can see the Aplanat style rear housing and the original anstigmat thread for the rear cell deep down. I will check my (numerous!) Suter aplanats to see if I can find out which lens it came from.