Ottewill folding sliding box camera

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Anyone of the fellow members with one in his/her collection?
I'm looking for accurate dimensions of the different parts of the camera as presented at the Science Museum in London; its plates measures 7 x 6 inch.
If you have the bigger 12 x10 inch example, I would also be interested to know its dimensions.

thanks
Ron

[eli]

Ditto.

[Steven Tribe]

Ron - I am sure you have done a very extensive search for data, but have you checked for the original patent/registration from 1853?
These usually contain quite detailed drawings and dimensions. Sometimes, though, things are modified when “mass” production starts.
The modern UK patent system started in 1852, so Ottewill has a very low number.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Ron - I am sure you have done a very extensive search for data, but have you checked for the original patent/registration from 1853?
These usually contain quite detailed drawings and dimensions. Sometimes, though, things are modified when “mass” production starts.
The modern UK patent system started in 1852, so Ottewill has a very low number.

Thank you Steven, and yes I've tried to find info on the registered patents; I couldn't find any myself, but in the meantime, one of the authors of the book on 19th century British lenses was so kind to send me a copy of one of the pages of the patent of the 'folding' sliding box camera (the camera by Ottewill is pictured in the book)...
However since the camera in question has quite an ingenious construction which is not revealed in great detail in the patent drawings, I'm now also trying to find a source that enables me to study the construction up close.

[Steven Tribe]

Perhaps the Science Museum at South Kensington or the Bradford Kodak collection will let you examine their examples.
I think it would be more difficult to gain access to the very few privately owned examples of this iconic camera.
Have you located the Nature article from 1939 about the one donated by the Duke of Devonshire to the Science Museum?

[Ron (Netherlands)]

Perhaps the Science Museum at South Kensington or the Bradford Kodak collection will let you examine their examples.
I think it would be more difficult to gain access to the very few privately owned examples of this iconic camera.
Have you located the Nature article from 1939 about the one donated by the Duke of Devonshire to the Science Museum?

Yes Steven I considered the option of asking the Science Museum... but I wasn't aware about the Nature article....any source to acquire that article?

[Steven Tribe]

I didn’t try to get beyond this page.
Perhaps some else can get it. I doubt it has the dimensions,though.

https://www.nature.com/articles/143849a0