dallmeyer 2" f3.5 question

[Stumpy]

I've just bought a MPP Technical Camera 5 x 4 inch and one of the lenses with it is a dallmeyer 2" (50mm) f3.5 in a synchro-compur shutter. This seems a ridiculous lens to have on a large format camera. For one thing it will only focus very close up. So what's the point of this lens?

[Steven Tribe]

Sounds like a oscillograph type lens. Made in the 1,000's for recording instrument readings/radar screens post 1945. These are often sought after as a source of shutters.

[Stumpy]

It came from a university's biology department, so that can't be it. Maybe it was used for photographing samples?

Any idea what its worth? It's seems to be in excellent condition. Serial number 533348.

[Dan Fromm]

Used for photomacrography, most likely.

Value? Offer it up for sale and see what it fetches. Then you'll know.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Cheap to find and often to see on *bay.