Christmas Century Semi-Centennial Stand - nice wood

[goamules]

Merry Christmas to all. Here is my present, a Semi-Centennial stand. I already have several stands, but when they appear locally, and the price is right, I will consider another. These used to be very common - every town in America had a photography studio, and most used this stand. The man I got it from said he'd had it for 50 years, and had it in storage due to no room for it anymore. It just needed some cleaning (daughters helped) and is perfect. The cloth on the top even looks original, and the tiger striped wood is outstanding. These cost $60 in the 1930s and more pre-depression. Comparable to about $800 in today's dollars. What would one cost to make today?

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[BrianShaw]

My goodness... those girls seem to be as happy as you must be. Nice stand!

[goamules]

Thanks, they were, both home together for Christmas.

[Duolab123]

That's exactly what I want for my 11 X14 (1917 F&S ) . I need to get serious about finding one.

[Paul Ron]

that wood alone is worth more than $60.... its rare these days to find such beautiful figured mahogany.

[Tin Can]

Wonderful gift.

Wonderful family.

Happy New Year!

[goamules]

Thanks yall. DuroLab, keep looking, they're out there. I've found about 5 within a couple hundred miles in 10 years. But for your 11x14 you may need to get the bigger stand, they made a bigger one for that size.

Paul Ron, I'm not sure the wood type. Though it looks like Mahogany, if you read their advertisements, in later years they said "mahogany finished" and "finished to match the mahogany camera that comes with the set"...blah. I need to study the grain a little more, but love the fiddleback, which happens in some cases with many woods. I know the cross bar underneath and the tilt crank bar are maple, from past experience. The stanchions though, it's hard to say.

I do love good wood. Got a home made bookshelf/table a few years ago at a thrift store for $20...it's made of solid rosewood. Not laminate, solid, even the drawer backs and sides. I figure it may make a nice camera one day! I need the help of Tucson's greatest camera builder though, Mark Sawyer.