Wray RR f8 8x5

[IanG]

I bought a Wray lens at a camera fair in the mid to late 1980's and I'm trying to get more information and an approximate date of manufacture.

In the Wray advert for the Rapid Rectilinears of 1898 the size is given by the designed coverage, and not the focal length, this one is as near damn it 12" - 300mm. Still not made an image with it !!!!

It's a relatively low Serial no 2797 but has a different aperture diaphragm control to the one shown in the advert. The lacquer needs removing, and the brass cleaned etc on the barrel but the lens is in excellent condition otherwise, optically very clean, and by chance it fits one of my Thornton Pickard shutter

http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/photography/cameras/images/wray2797sm.jpg

1898 Wray advert

http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/photography/cameras/images/wray1898.jpg

Any information appreciated, also a rough value,

Ian

[IanG]

I don't intend to sell it BTW, I'm finally going to use it. (I had a PM about the lens).

Despite Wray being an old established company, one of the larger UK lens manufacturers alongside Ross and Dallmeyer there's very little information available about the company except for their post WWII 35mm SLR's, lenses for Leica's, Ilford and MPP cameras etc.

Ian