Barn door Shutters: what Do I Need To Know?

[Drew Bedo]

Ok I know that sounds like a naïve newbie question.

I was clicking around on e-Bay, ran across one and had never heard of this type of shutter. Bulb-and-hose actuation I gather. But what else is there to know? ?Who made them, do they work well enough, can they be repaired/refurbished and so on . . . .?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174497568864?hash=item28a0dd9860:g:cx0AAOSwpo9fTZE9

Any remarks appreciated.

[Tin Can]

never seen one in hand

some do speak of them here on LFPF

They must predate my favorite shutter, https://packardshutter.com/

Here is shutter history http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/shuttern.html

[Steven Tribe]

This is one version I haven’t seen before!

The big maker of 1 and 2 door barn shutters was Guerry of France. There were mostly mounted on the lens hoods of Studio Petzvals rather than behind the lens board. His were made of mahogany and just metal working parts. There was an expanding rubber bellows which did the mechanical work. This one looks more like a pneumatic tripping mechanism.

The Grundner (eye lid) shutter is far quieter than the barn door and Pickard type alternatives.

The Guerry and Grundner types ( and the one you have discovered ) have patent rubber parts which do not age well!