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View Full Version : T.S & W. Taylor Leicester 8½x6½ 12.6inc lens Question


scottmorgan
12-Dec-2013, 12:16
Picked up a T.S & W. Taylor Leicester 8½x6½ 12.6inc lens but it only has one piece of glass at the back? Is this correct or is it missing a front element?

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Steven Tribe
12-Dec-2013, 12:44
There have been about 3 of the "double" Taylor lenses sold during the past few years. They were made in the short period of time before Hobson joined the company. They have exactly the same good construction as the T,T & H models.

This looks like a landscape meniscus product as the slot for Waterhouse stops is so far forward. T & T were a late entrant into the UK lens market.
This could be the forerunner of the well-known RVP (Rapid View & Portrait) lens.
Mark Sawyer
12-Dec-2013, 13:10
Picked up a T.S & W. Taylor Leicester 8½x6½ 12.6inc lens but it only has one piece of glass at the back? Is this correct or is it missing a front element?


Measure whether the lens focuses at 12.6 inches with only the rear element. I agree with Steven, it could be an incomplete RR or a landscape lens. From the placement of the Waterhouse slot, I'd also guess the latter.
Steven Tribe
12-Dec-2013, 13:17
It would very interesting for those of us who have the later T,T & H models to see what the front looks like without the leather cap.
The largest of the WHS is so large in diameter that yours is much faster than the later T,T &H rapid view which has to have room for the iris system.
scottmorgan
12-Dec-2013, 14:40
Here is a picture of the front

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Steven Tribe
12-Dec-2013, 14:55
Quite a restricted aperture.
So it is the equivalent of the T,T & H RV (rapid view) landscape meniscus lens in, apparently, pristine condition.
Mark Sawyer
12-Dec-2013, 15:31
You can just barely read the "R.V." engraved on the barrel in the second image.

A lovely little lens!
scottmorgan
12-Dec-2013, 15:33
Quite a restricted aperture.
So it is the equivalent of the T,T & H RV (rapid view) landscape meniscus lens in, apparently, pristine condition.

So do you thinking it's missing a piece of glass then?
Steven Tribe
12-Dec-2013, 15:43
No, the RV design had just the rear achromat.

This is a bit of history, as we now know that the RV was in production before the T, T & H amalgamation.
scottmorgan
12-Dec-2013, 15:53
No, the RV design had just the rear achromat.

This is a bit of history, as we now know that the RV was in production before the T, T & H amalgamation.

Thank you for the help and information, glad you found out a little bit of history :)
Mark Sawyer
13-Dec-2013, 13:21
Here's a thread on it:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?94655-Rapid-View-Portrait-(RVP)-Pictorial-lens