Thornton Pickard Imperial tripod mounting plate

[Kpjhillier]

I have just acquired a 1904 Thornton Pickard Imperial in full working order.
The only issue I have is that the brass tripod mounting ring in missing.
Some one in the past has added additional mahogany base with a 1/4 inch tripod mount bush fitted in it.
This does not make for a very stable mount

My question is does anyone out there know of anyone selling such an item?

Failing that

If anyone is in possession of the same camera would it be possible to get a tracing of the mount so I can use it as a guide for the manufacture of a replacement

Many thanks

Keith Hillier
Isle of Wight, UK

[NickL]

Keith,

Did you sort out a tripod ring ? Looking at my half-plate (not a T-P but probably similar) they don't look that easy to make from scratch.

Nick

[RJ-]

I have just acquired a 1904 Thornton Pickard Imperial in full working order.
The only issue I have is that the brass tripod mounting ring in missing.
Some one in the past has added additional mahogany base with a 1/4 inch tripod mount bush fitted in it.
This does not make for a very stable mount

My question is does anyone out there know of anyone selling such an item?

Failing that

If anyone is in possession of the same camera would it be possible to get a tracing of the mount so I can use it as a guide for the manufacture of a replacement

Many thanks

Keith Hillier
Isle of Wight, UK


Are you referring to the half-plate dimension Imperial like Nick's, or the whole plate version?

I had a whole plate version (no more) - the Sanderson worked better for stability than the fragile extension balance of the Imperial. I remember seeing the tripod plate lying around in the darkroom although I am not even sure it is for the Imperial model - if it is, it is for the whole plate designation.

The metal plate and tripod legs were not designed like modern tripods: there is only one position of stability and for tilting, a separate angling tripod bracket (wood) was used, making it very cumbersome. There are different solutions to modernising the baseplate, some which involve losing the portal aperture for a recessing small focal length lens.

The mahogany base plate which you describe, works better with a tripod rail bracket for stability than a single point tripod Whitworth 1/4 inch or 3/8inch socket which cannot spread the camera load well.

Kind regards