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View Full Version : Info wanted on a couple of 8x10 wide angle brass lenses



monovita
16-Feb-2019, 18:05
Found a couple of wide angle lenses recently, any information/history would be much appreciated.

187836

and this one:

187837
187838
187839

Steven Tribe
17-Feb-2019, 03:28
Charles Burr is not very well researched. He was a retailer with a shop in the east end of London into the 1890's. Known for lots of types of lenses with only his name engraved but not for cameras or other photographic equipment. This has lead people to believe he was a lens maker. His Petzvals and RR's look like every other makers in the the UK. I would personally guess it was a design from Wray of Peckham and that he had many sources for his range of lenses. These wheel stop wide angle RRs were very popular, especialy the smaller sizes for stereo cameras. A lens for 8x10" at this period is uncommon.

I can't read the american engraving, but it is from the same period. At this time there were many bulk retailers of photographic equipment in th USA, mostly relying on post order advertising.

monovita
19-Feb-2019, 08:53
Thank you very much!

RedGreenBlue
19-Feb-2019, 18:29
The American lens is from Ralph J. Golson, a Chicago retailer. I have the same wide angle brass barrel but without lenses. I've noticed Golson labeled lenses on eBay from time to time. Here's a link to a Golson ad in Anthony's Photographic Bulletin, 1899. https://books.google.com/books?id=77VIAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PR17&lpg=RA1-PR17&dq=ralph+j.+golson&source=bl&ots=FWiGdmIT5D&sig=ACfU3U2OwcfP7leqpARaPm0vo2hakfWfmQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjPz_n8ksngAhVTrJ4KHQ6UBaAQ6AEwAnoECAMQAQ#v=onepage&q=ralph%20j.%20golson&f=false

Scott