What is the most beautiful piece of furniture?

[Alan Gales]

If you were to restore an old wooden camera as both a display piece of furniture in your home and also a functional portrait camera which would you choose?

[Drew Bedo]

OK, by now most here know that I have (and really like) my Kodak 2D . . .however look at what someone has done to one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/No-2-D-Eastman-Kodak-View-Camera-with-Matching-Folmer-Tripod-Floor-Lamp-/291546991076?hash=item43e18e09e4

I cringe at the thought of turning one into a floor lamp, but they say its still fully functional as a camera.

[Drew Bedo]

Oh yes: And I know a guy who has two ULF studio cameras on display in the center of his camera collection display room. They do not quite remind me of furniture . . .more like The Guns Of Navarone.

[Jim Jones]

One might wonder at the long-term effect, especially on the bellows, in such misuse. It isn't even pretty in my eyes. The 2-D has an unobtrusive dark finish. An earlier studio camera with bright hardware and really well-finished woodwork might look better, but still would have no more class than the restaurants that hang antique manure forks on the walls and call it chic.

[Jac@stafford.net]

[...] An earlier studio camera with bright hardware and really well-finished woodwork might look better [...]

To the discerning woodworker, almost all early wooden cameras are far from good craft as it concerns wood selection and grain and color matching. Back then wood was just the most common, cheap material. I would feel compelled to replace all the wood with the right stuff, but then it would be just a vanity thing.

[John Kasaian]

I'd want something small enough to fit in a lawyer's book case (behind glass) since my allergies don't respond well to dust. A big studio camera with huge bellows extended would be a dust magnet. A Graphic Crown View is sure a pretty little camera!

[DrTang]

I'd want something small enough to fit in a lawyer's book case (behind glass) since my allergies don't respond well to dust. A big studio camera with huge bellows extended would be a dust magnet. A Graphic Crown View is sure a pretty little camera!

something like a Lancaster?

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[DrTang]

I had a wooden tri-color camera and the leather covering was coming off..so I steamed it all off and sanded the wood a bit and lacquered it

that was one sweet looking beast

[John Kasaian]

The Crown View
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[Tin Can]

5x7 Elwood fully restored. Use 500 watt CFL, high contrast neg and white paper on baseboard.

Turn off remote room lighting and turn on Elwood. She will look correct, heat won't be a problem and could be tilted for wall projection 'a la Magic Lantern.

That should wow em in Peoria.

I have one ready. I want to rechrome Ms Elwood's dome (hat) inside and out. Powder coat the entire chassis in an interesting color, mount new red bellow and torture my friends with the slowest slide show ever...

[Doug Howk]

I have an Ansco Studio stand camera that I've taken apart and started to refurbish. Hopefully I'll have it complete by next year when we plan to move North. It definitely needs alot of display space.

[Alan Gales]

I have an Ansco Studio stand camera that I've taken apart and started to refurbish. Hopefully I'll have it complete by next year when we plan to move North. It definitely needs alot of display space.

I really like the look of the old studio cameras with their wooden stands. My wife likes them too.

[Drew Wiley]

Go to Blue Ridge Woodworking and click onto the Festool video showing a matching dark box and wet plate camera under construction. They won 2nd place in last
yrs Festool project competition. If one of my own customers did a "camera as furniture" project it would easily sell for 50K, maybe more. Some of them sell coffee
tables or deck benches for more than that apiece.

[Alan Gales]

Go to Blue Ridge Woodworking and click onto the Festool video showing a matching dark box and wet plate camera under construction. They won 2nd place in last
yrs Festool project competition. If one of my own customers did a "camera as furniture" project it would easily sell for 50K, maybe more. Some of them sell coffee
tables or deck benches for more than that apiece.

Pretty cool, Drew!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAA9goESAtw

[William Whitaker]

Most anything by Folmer & Schwing...

[Leszek Vogt]

If I wish to get super critical....I'd build the unit from scratch. This way it would have a visual balance (wood grain, interesting combination of woods, made precisely, have a desired finish, etc) and be a functional
as well.

Les

[John Kasaian]

5x7 Elwood fully restored. Use 500 watt CFL, high contrast neg and white paper on baseboard.

Turn off remote room lighting and turn on Elwood. She will look correct, heat won't be a problem and could be tilted for wall projection 'a la Magic Lantern.

That should wow em in Peoria.
Kick it up a notch to 8x10 Elwood and you'll have a perfect platform for warming tortillas, or better yet---making nachos! Imagine that---you'll be able to feed your audience during those s-l-o-w side shows! :cool:

I have one ready. I want to rechrome Ms Elwood's dome (hat) inside and out. Powder coat the entire chassis in an interesting color, mount new red bellow and torture my friends with the slowest slide show ever...

[mdarnton]

I have always wished that I had negotiated the purchase of this loan. It was a very cool thing to have around the house:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7145/6661605911_7b2de96a34_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/b9Etmk)

Michael, and Camera (https://flic.kr/p/b9Etmk)
by Michael Darnton (https://www.flickr.com/photos/mdarnton/), on Flickr

[Two23]

I love the black Senecas, with the polished nickel trim. Otherwise, one of the classic British field cameras would be my choice.


Kent in SD

[Mark Sampson]

I once owned a (non-functional) 8x10 R.O.C. "Carlton". Some of the most beautiful mahogany and wood-working I've ever seen. It was, I believe, from the 1890s. If I was in your situation, I'd look for a c.1900 camera... the older you look, often, the better the wood and the craftsmanship will be.

[Jody_S]

Some old British 'tropical' camera. Here's an Adams (a top 10 list of most beautiful cameras) (http://www.fgphotographica.com/fgphotographicas-guide-to-the-top-10-most-attractive-cameras-ever-built/):

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[Alan Gales]

Some old British 'tropical' camera. Here's an Adams (a top 10 list of most beautiful cameras) (http://www.fgphotographica.com/fgphotographicas-guide-to-the-top-10-most-attractive-cameras-ever-built/):

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Numbers 2 and 4 don't even look like cameras! ;) All ten are awful purty!

[Jac@stafford.net]

Go to Blue Ridge Woodworking and click onto the Festool video showing a matching dark box and wet plate camera under construction.

Thanks for that, Drew. For the rest, here is the link (https://youtu.be/RAA9goESAtw)to the video.

[Bill Burk]

Maybe something like this to put it in... And a good place for the negatives and lab notebooks too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-oak-Scottish-bookcase-with-glass-doors-circa-1920-/191537393307

[barnacle]

Somewhat off topic, number 2 reminded me that I have some scans of a text from 1905, discussing the history, theory, and practice of stereoscopic photography... http://stereo.nailed-barnacle.co.uk/#!album-10-0

Neil

[unixrevolution]

I have a Large Format 8x10 Korona that was displayed by the previous owner for a quarter century without being shot, and it was purchased from an antique store, not a camera store.

The treatment did the camera no favors. It was misaligned, damaged and rusty, the movements were sticky and gritty. Admittedly, that may have been before it was on display, but I know because of being displayed, the bellows has a deep and permanent sag from being left open.

I was able to repair restore the hardware and relubricate with teflon "dry" lube and it's good as new (though not shiny like it should be), but the bellows are still very saggy.

My 8x10 stays in a camera bag when not in use. Safe from dust and possible accidents, as well as prying eyes.