PDA

View Full Version : Help identifying folding camera



Jon_b
22-Aug-2014, 02:24
Hi,

I'm hoping that someone on this forum can identify this camera. The photo is of my great-grandfather and was taken around 1892.

Thank you

Jon

Steven Tribe
22-Aug-2014, 11:12
Might well be possible!

The lens board/standard is very different from the usual. It is asymmetric and there is "something" at the top left hand corner!

The size is, I think 5x7" or 1/1 plate size. 1892 is just before the boxed folders went into production. The tripod is typical of this period, probably with iron spikes at the ends, which explains the wide angle.

Which country is this Jon?

Jon_b
22-Aug-2014, 12:43
This was in London where my family come from.

Thanks

Steven Tribe
22-Aug-2014, 14:25
I thought it might be the UK!

I think I know the series of makers ( they merged every few years in the 1890's ! ) with this type of design. I'll do a search.

Steven Tribe
22-Aug-2014, 15:00
It is Payment's Patent camera ( 1/2 plate) made by Perken , son and Rayment from 1886.

Here is an image:

There is whole page at Earlycameras.co.uk giving details. It was a de-luxe camera!

It looks like he is using the original mounted Dallmeyer Rapid Rectilinear lens.

Jon_b
22-Aug-2014, 15:39
Hi Steven,

That's brilliant! Thanks so much for helping. He passed on his hobby to his son, who took many pictures with a Kodax during his time in WW1, so this really adds to that part of the family history. The camera was kept by my grandmother for many years but sadly got sold.

Thanks again.

Jon

Steven Tribe
22-Aug-2014, 16:09
The illustrated camera was a 1/2 plate one on the earlyphotography website - but it is possible there were larger sizes made. They advertised in the British Journal of Photography (BJP) and there may be more information there.

Regular Rod
23-Aug-2014, 01:12
It's stuff like this that really makes this forum special! Great question to ask. Great detective work to answer it.
:)
RR

Steven Tribe
23-Aug-2014, 03:36
The real work was done at earlycameras.co.uk.

The camera looks really "uninteresting" on the old photo, but it reality it was a splendid apparatus!

Sorry I don't have the old BTP magazines, but they are rather pricey these days.

Jac@stafford.net
23-Aug-2014, 09:05
The real work was done at earlycameras.co.uk.

Do you mean http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/?

Steven Tribe
23-Aug-2014, 09:07
Yes!

Thanks - I used a sub-heading by mistake!

Steven Tribe
23-Aug-2014, 13:10
Believe it or not, there is a Rayment's Patent listed on Ebay at the moment which includes a variety of photos!

Item 281412251681 - it is in average condition - your family's camera would have been in better condition!

Andrew Plume
24-Aug-2014, 03:23
and here's another one, a real beauty:-

http://www.leicashop.com/vintage_en/various-cameras/wooden-cameras/perken-son-rayment-rayment-s-patent-sku23839-48.html

rgds, andrew

Regular Rod
24-Aug-2014, 08:17
I think it's the same one...?

RR

Andrew Plume
24-Aug-2014, 08:23
err...........yes

BradS
24-Aug-2014, 08:40
looking at the photos of the camera listed on eBay make me wonder if, perhaps, the Gandolfi brothers took inspiration from Perken & Rayment? Or were they possibly contemporaries?

Andrew Plume
24-Aug-2014, 11:37
they followed after P & R Brad

rgds, andrew

fecaleagle
27-Aug-2014, 22:24
http://www.historiccamera.com/cgi-bin/librarium2/pm.cgi?action=app_display&app=datasheet&app_id=139 indicates it was available in a number of sizes.

Steven Tribe
28-Aug-2014, 01:12
Yes, this range (up to 15x12") was more or less standard for English and Scottish camera makers.

I don't think that sellers had a workshop as part of their organisation, but made agreements with external independent specialists who made cameras to their (in this case Rayment's) specifications. There are a number of cameras in the UK, which are identical, although sold under different names.

Brassai
28-Aug-2014, 18:24
and here's another one, a real beauty:-

http://www.leicashop.com/vintage_en/various-cameras/wooden-cameras/perken-son-rayment-rayment-s-patent-sku23839-48.html

rgds, andrew

It's the same seller, same camera. Nice looking for sure.