Mysterious petzval lens

[Etherlux]

here some pics of a petzval lens that i found :

192321192322192323need Help ! 🙂

Any information about that lens ?

Petzval formula
8cm glass diameter
Maybe 14cm glass to glass

first...I was misreading the handwriting name (rear ) and it was not : « Victor Nines 14 R Rambuteau Paris »

But “victor Ninet “ 🙂

Obviously I’ll take any further information about Victor Ninet and that lens.

[jaytral]

Victor Ninet was a french studio photographer and editor, starting his activity in 1847 at 14 Rue Rambuteau, Paris. He was a also a maker and the factory was in the same block.
Later, this building will be "Hermagis, 18 rue Rambuteau, Paris"
Victor Ninet is famous for having followed Napoleon III during its trip in Britain in 1858

I had few years ago one petzval engraved Victor Ninet with its late adress, "Passage des Panoramas", Paris"

[Steven Tribe]

well there is this from the D'agostini book.

Most French makers were a lttle slow in adopting Waterhouse slots/stops. It looks like the original sleeve engraving was lost in cutting out the square in the brass sleeve during a later conversion.

[Etherlux]

tank you a lot for these precious informations !

I try to collect all pieces of the puzzle and i've found this on the web

http://foxtalbot.dmu.ac.uk/letters/transcriptFreetext.php?keystring=Antoine%2BFran%25E7oise%2BJean%2BClaudet&keystring2=&keystring3=&year1=1800&year2=1877&pageNumber=28&pageTotal=44&referringPage=1&fbclid=IwAR2nChY6rxOFshGxZv_IJqxM-ZjQAkVipwKVh-eFApa0Ru21PwbVtpA3E8E

So the last address of Ninet's shop seems to be "14 rue rambuteau" in 1859 until 1864

here screenshots :192372192373 from national french archives https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb32695639f/date&rk=643780;0
but i lost his trace in 1865... maybe the year of his death..

Do you think he made lenses himself .. or hermagis or Lerebours et secretan made it for him ?

[Steven Tribe]

Yes, I have seen this letter before and some other ones of some interest from the Fox Talbot university archive.

It does seem that Victor was more interested in the print side of Photography, but he was recorded as being involved in optics well before 1839 and his brother, Alphonse, is also known as an "optics" man.
The fact that the lens edge is signed makes it very likely that he did prepare the lenses himself. This is in contrast to the mysterious L.F. Colas whose lenses are marked Vallantin.

[Etherlux]

Thank you to all !
Now I have to cut a lensboard and shoot wetplate with it.
Maybe it could be a good surprise ... or an overpriced paperweight :)