A-Pattern or 'A' Pattern camera

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Who of our fellow members has an A-Pattern camera?
I ask since I've acquired one in very nice shape, but alas as so many times with these oldies, without any plate holders.
If you have such a camera could you show it with its matching plateholders, so I know what to look for. Btw the camera was made in many different (British) formats, and the one I have is in the more common half plate size.
thanks

[Ron (Netherlands)]

...and last week finally found some time to put pictures of my A-pattern on the net:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50791063203_7ea1b0000e_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2koetyg)
Sanderson A-pattern half plate camera (1) (https://flic.kr/p/2koetyg) by Ron (Netherlands) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zorki_2007/), on Flickr

The camera might be presented in the George Houghton catalogues from 1899 or 1901, 02, 03 or 04.
Any fellow member with such a catalogue at hand?

[Ron (Netherlands)]

In the meantime found some excellent info on F.H. Sanderson (including a portrait of him), the photographer and inventor here: http://www.fadingimages.uk/photoSa.asp

[Graham Morley]

That is a lovely Sanderson camera – I do have a soft spot for them as I have one that I have used occasionally for over 50 years.
I have a whole plate (8 ½ x 6 ½ Inch) Sanderson A-Pattern which I bought in 1969 from a student friend, when we were studying photography in London. The camera came with no lens or film holders, so I took the camera back to Brunnings in High Holborn, London, where they had all sorts of old photographic equipment going back to year dot. The assistant went down into the basement to look for whole-plate book-form film holders and came up with a pile, from assorted manufacturers, but nothing from Sandersons. We went through the pile and found four that fitted reasonably well. They are all from different makers – two that are unidentified and a Thornton Pickard and a Grayson of Leeds. I also bought some sheet film adaptors and a Goerz Dagor 168mm lens, which just covers a whole-plate when stopped down.
I adjusted the fit of the film holders to the Sanderson back with careful sawing, chiselling and sanding, and smoothed the action of the film holder and dark slide with candle grease. The felt light traps were cleaned, and renewed in a couple of cases. I put different thicknesses of card under the thin steel sheet film adaptors to bring the film register to coincide with the focussing screen.
The camera was then used for a project photographing church interiors with the negs enlarged on an ancient whole-plate enlarger at the college
Various other projects have followed over the years, firstly with the Dagor and borrowed 210mm Symmar, and more recently the Dagor is used with my 360mm Apo Ronar, which I usually use with 5 x 4. I have found that whole-plate negs make lovely contacts on 10 x 8 paper.
I have yet to see a Sanderson whole-plate bookform holder, though. So if I were looking for whole-plate film holders now I would visit eBay and choose something that looks adaptable, but avoiding anything that was narrower than my camera back slot – there are several possibles on the UK site at the moment, and several half-plate film holders, too.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Thank you Graham for sharing your experience with the A-pattern and the ref on the plateholders. Apparently the bookform holders that came with my half plate Thornton Picard Imperial Perfecta seem to fit best on this Sanderson - the many others I bought fit also but don't slide in as easily.
Nice to hear you had (or still have?) a full plate A-pattern. I was offered one not long ago, but it has been restored in its long life, i.e. it got new bellows. However they put in too small bellows for the camera. I went to the well known shop of custombellows, and they informed me they could duplicate original bellows, but - of course - they would need accurate measures. Well since I don't have the original bellows, measures and number of folds are hard to get. Do you still have the full? plate (if yes, perhaps you could share a photo). Btw the one that was offered to me was said to have original full plate holders.


Here's a detailled picture of the front of mine:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50791090903_59505a394c_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2koeBMR)
Sanderson A-pattern half plate camera (2) (https://flic.kr/p/2koeBMR) by Ron (Netherlands) (https://www.flickr.com/photos/zorki_2007/), on Flickr

...and som info from BJA:

https://kpmg0072.home.xs4all.nl/Sanderson/1898%20BJPA%20Sanderson%20A-pattern.jpg

Typically the quarter plate isn't mentioned here.

[Graham Morley]

It is very interesting to hear a bit more about your Sanderson, and the picture of the front shows it is in lovely condition – does it have a new coat of French Polish? The advert from BJA is very interesting, too.

I still have mine, which I think has had comparatively light use during its life before I bought it in 1969, and just occasional use by me since. It is not pristine as it has some scratches, and is unrestored (except for the front standard catches, and lock on the film back that secures the book-form holder, which have been re-greased). I have always stored it carefully, and taken care of it when in use, and the bellows are original and are light-tight (incidentally, if you need the dimensions of the whole-plate bellows and folds, etc please let me know).

Here is a bit of info about my particular camera I compiled from online research a few years ago:
FH Sanderson was a keen architectural photographer who was unhappy with existing designs. So he produced his own design, which was made by Holmes Brothers of Islington, and marketed by Houghton. Later Houghton and Holmes amalgamated.
FH Sanderson patented the Universal Swing Front, a way in which the lens board was held by two pairs of slotted struts.
The first camera, the Original, was introduced in 1895, followed by the “A” Pattern in 1896.
My pattern “A” camera dates from between 1902 and 1906, the life span of the angled lettering “Sanderson’s Patent”. Also, the body number 16000 corresponds to 1906, and so my camera (body no. 15303) would be about 1905-06.
The features that are notable are:–
1. Tall-body rear standard (from 1901)
2. Angled rear standard brace
3. Early front standard securing bolt
4. Compound front panel
5. Diagonal corner bellows (from 1904)
6. Slanted lettering “Sanderson’s Patent.


Below is a quick pic of the camera I tool a few years back.
211407

[Ron (Netherlands)]

You have a very beautiful species there. Mine is also still in original condition and does not have new French Polish (guess I used extra light for the photo) - I have seen quite some A-patterns and it seems that as from 1904 the finish (and the color of the used woods) is a little different than the older camera's. Further the bellows indeed changed in 1904 and the lettering on the makers label.

The whole plate A-pattern that is currently offered to me is also a somewhat older camera - and is in wood color comparable to mine - it also has the older makers label, therefore probably also from 1901 or 02 (since it has the tall-body rear standard).

Indeed I would be helped a lot if you could provide the dimensions of the bellows. I've send a message in the private mailbox.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Never had seen an 12 x 10 sample before, but here's one that someone recently bought and - apparently - is going to restore ..if at all possible...
was surely a rare sample with all the brass inlays...

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KTwAAOSwF2pgDcm7/s-l1600.jpg

see further: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LARGE-SANDERSON-10x12in-WOOD-BRASS-CAMERA-for-RESTORATION-PARTS/254844017374?hash=item3b55e31ade:g:KTwAAOSwF2pgDcm7

[karl french]

I have a very nice 10x12 A Pattern. Definitely the most interesting camera I own. Really an amazing technical camera for 1904. There was a 12x15 A Patterned auctioned in the last couple years. Flints I think. Can't believe I missed it.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

I have a very nice 10x12 A Pattern. Definitely the most interesting camera I own. Really an amazing technical camera for 1904. There was a 12x15 A Patterned auctioned in the last couple years. Flints I think. Can't believe I missed it.

Thank you for showing your camera Karl - indeed 10x12 is impressive
Just bought a whole plate one which is in need of some restoration, but all the wood is in terrible good condition - like yours apparently; I see yours has the same beautiful dark wood as my half and whole plate cameras, which btw are both from about 1902, an thus with square cornered bellows.
I'm still looking after a nice Cooke Anastigmat Series V, which was supposed to come with the whole plate.

Do you have a matching holder for the 10x12? (btw I've yet to come across a 12x15 which must be very rare even in its own era).

[PetrL]

Never had seen an 12 x 10 sample before, but here's one that someone recently bought and - apparently - is going to restore ..if at all possible...
was surely a rare sample with all the brass inlays...

That someone, it was me. I was looking for some information about this camera and found this thread. Here are some photos from the repair.
All I need is a bellows and then, of course, film holders. I want to use Fomapan 100 dim. 24x30cm (which is about 9.5 "x 11.8") https://fomaobchod.cz/cernobilenegativnifilmy/plochelistovefilmy/fomapan100listovy/fomapan10024x30cm50ks[11186]
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