Pinkham and Smith Petzval

[Tracy Storer]

This thing is nagging at me form the shelf...."What am I worth?"
It's a P+S Petzval type lens, the separated doublet is marked in gradations from 1-4 for de-focus. 9" focal length, f/5 wide open, intended for 5x8 format.
I shot it on 4x5 forever ago, and it's nice...I'm itching to try it on 5x7 / 8x10.

Does Jim G. or anybody else know much about this one? There's no "Series" designation, which leads me to believe it's on the earlier side.

[Mark Sawyer]

Dr. Russ Young's post (#8) in this old thread might shed some light, especially this passage:

"A 1921 letter by Day to an unknown recipient (the draft copy written by an secretary is at his home in Norwood), he notes that "A story at that time (1901) gained some credence to the effect that Mr. Smith was buying up all the old single lenses of certain makes, which were to be had, and mounting them either with or without some slight changes or modifications, and that they became soft focus lenses."

From: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=34637

[Bruce Schultz]

It's a piece of crap. Send it to me and I'll dispose of it properly, for no charge even.

[wfwhitaker]

That's a pretty nifty design for a beer can.

[Jim Galli]

Looks like th' fronts in the back and the back's in th' front.

[Tracy Storer]

Looks like th' fronts in the back and the back's in th' front.

It always made more sense to me that the "adjustable" part with the "diffusion by the numbers" would be on the front, but I guess that's historically incorrect? I'll take your word for that, Jim

In any event, it's a cool old adjustable Petzval portrait, like the 16" FL Kodak I used to have.....ah sellers remorse strikes again.

[Jim Galli]

It always made more sense to me that the "adjustable" part with the "diffusion by the numbers" would be on the front, but I guess that's historically incorrect? I'll take your word for that, Jim

In any event, it's a cool old adjustable Petzval portrait, like the 16" FL Kodak I used to have.....ah sellers remorse strikes again.

Take the adjustable part all the way off and look through it on an 8X10 with just that front element in the back where it is now. Very soft, very smooth. At the very least, different.

[Jim Galli]

I see it on fee-bay! (http://cgi.ebay.com/Pinkham-and-Smith-Petzval-brass-lens_W0QQitemZ280346481351QQihZ018QQcategoryZ15247QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) Go tracey! Maybe a new record will be set.

[Mark Sawyer]

I see it on fee-bay! (http://cgi.ebay.com/Pinkham-and-Smith-Petzval-brass-lens_W0QQitemZ280346481351QQihZ018QQcategoryZ15247QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) Go tracey! Maybe a new record will be set.

Nah, no record, it's a "buy it now" at $1600, which I'd call a bargain for a rare and early P&S. It would be gone by now if my job was more secure!

[wfwhitaker]

I'd buy it in a heartbeat except that's a left-handed lens and all my others are right-handed lenses...

[Toyon]

Looks like th' fronts in the back and the back's in th' front.

Is this a time saving " th' " or an accent " th' "?

[Jim Galli]

Is this a time saving " th' " or an accent " th' "?

Yes, exactly.