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View Full Version : Dating My B&J Grover


kq6up
22-Apr-2011, 10:38
I have been trying to date my camera. I have it on display for my students to see, and I get a lot of questions about it. What years were the grover made? The lens is an Ilex Paragon 12". I am not sure if this lens came with the camera originally in a kit or something. It also has a matching 5x7 reducing back that says B&J and it has a very old style embossing on it like I have seen on stuff from the 20's and 30's. I have a friend that is in to antiques and he says that they used that type of embossing into the 40's.

Thanks,
Chris Maness
BarryS
22-Apr-2011, 11:01
I'm not surprised your students have questions about you trying to date your camera. :) Over at Camera Eccentric, they have a couple B&J catalogs with info on the Grover.

1951 http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/bj_2.html

1967 http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/bj_1.html

Is your monorail geared (teeth on the rail) or friction drive (smooth rail)? The gearing was introduced later, so it would have to be post-1951. If the gearing is friction, that makes it pre-1967. The Ilex Paragon dates from the same era as the Grover--it may have been purchased at the same time as the camera.
kq6up
22-Apr-2011, 11:34
I'm not surprised your students have questions about you trying to date your camera. :) Over at Camera Eccentric, they have a couple B&J catalogs with info on the Grover.

1951 http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/bj_2.html

1967 http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/bj_1.html

Is your monorail geared (teeth on the rail) or friction drive (smooth rail)? The gearing was introduced later, so it would have to be post-1951. If the gearing is friction, that makes it pre-1967. The Ilex Paragon dates from the same era as the Grover--it may have been purchased at the same time as the camera.

Yes, it has the smooth rails. So that sets an upper limit of 1967. When was the grover first made?

Thanks,
Chris Maness
BarryS
22-Apr-2011, 11:50
I believe the first Grover was introduced in the late 40's--if I had to guess, I'd say 1948 or 1949.
kq6up
22-Apr-2011, 12:36
I believe the first Grover was introduced in the late 40's--if I had to guess, I'd say 1948 or 1949.

Thanks, I would imagine it is an early one.

Chris
BarryS
27-Apr-2011, 11:05
I just saw a 1942 catalog that lists the Grover cameras and refers to them as "new". So it's likely the camera was introduced in 1941 or 1942.