Bleitz Camera Co

[PeteSpencer]

This is multi-faceted post, so here goes.

I have an aluminium tripod, which I originally believed was a Bolex. It's fitted with a levelling head and a a Hollywood Baco tilting head.

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So I thought it would be nice to rescue the head and use it on another tripod but I can't because it seems to be a permanent fixture, well no matter, nice tripod all the same.

However, in the process I looked for references to Baco, as a manufacturer and discovered this advert for their BACO Press View Camera.

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Given that the reproduction isn't too good, this looks like my Brand 5x4 camera.

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Any small pieces of information would be welcome.

I'm being a bit geeky, but are these manufacturers and resellers related, must be?

[Dan Fromm]

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Brand

http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Baco

[David Lindquist]

If you go here, the parent website for Ries Tripods: http://www.riesproductions.com and scroll down you'll see a list titled "Our Products". In addition to Ries and some none photographic lines, they list Baco Cameras. Some years ago Ries changed their tilt mechanism from a rod to a multiple metal leaf arrangement sort of reminiscent of those early 20th century friction disk shock absorbers. Historically the Baco head used this arrangement too. I've wondered if at some point Ries acquired the the designs/rights/intellectual properties/whatever of Baco in order to use this tilt mechanism. I'd think any patents would have long ago expired.

Pete, I fully understand about being geeky about manufacturers their relatedness and the history thereof.

Just looked at the Baco Tripod ad in the 1946 Popular Photography issue in the second reference cited by Dan, The tripod head shown there does not have the multiple metal leaf arrangement, rather it's a single heavier metal strip, slotted lengthwise.

David

[Eric Woodbury]

That's a Paillard Tripod. Some relation to Bolex. That's a different head than I've seen on the tripods I have. I see a 16mm a custom head for a 16mm Bolex. They have a level bowl on them. Nice tripods. I use for 8x10.

[DrTang]

use the tripod as is..it's pretty trick