A Darlot Dilemma

[Jim Galli]

Hoping someone has seen this set catalogued some place and can tell me about it.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/Darlot_01.jpg

I've got 6 pics so it'll take 2 posts. It consists of 2 9 1/2" normal petzval's. The opposing directions of the hand wheel could mean it was meant for a stereo camera perhaps? (or that someone took one of them apart and put it back together wrong?)


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/Darlot_02.jpg

It came with the 4 extension barrels that each have lenses screwed into them also. The extension barrels all say 10 1/2" on them. The lenses in the extension barrels are too large in the threads to go directly into the regular barrels, but the extension barrels thread into the brass barrels fine. The shade screws into the extended front lens same as the normal front lens.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/Darlot_03.jpg

A seller on Ebay split the set up and sold one set with the 2 front lenses in the black barrels to one person, and the other set with 2 rear lenses included to a second person. I was 3rd party on one of the mismatched sets and both before had to take a profit, and 2nd party on the other mismatched set and also had to pay the profit. So to re-assemble this stuff, I've got stupid money tied up.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/Darlot_04.jpg

Don't mis-understand, I'm a capitolist myself, so I fully understand making a profit. Just hope it was worthwhile to re-assemble the set. Naturally I'm curious.

So who knows about this set-up and can edumacate me. Really hoping someone has a catalog that mentions this.

[Jim Galli]

So I tried all the combinations and nothing is anywhere near 10 1/2" :confused: :confused:


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/Darlot_05.jpg

The 2 normals are identical at 240mm or so. But one set of the extended lenses is like 360mm and the other one was significantly different. They aren't the same.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/Darlot_06.jpg

So, any help appreciated.

[Jim Galli]

Nothin' ? Wow, thought I'd get some helpful chatter. Dan??

[Jim Galli]

OK, just to stir the pot, here's a second one. Same questions. Anybody know what it is / was, seen it catalogued?


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/ChromeDarlot_1.jpg

This one is a nickeled 240mm Darlot petzval but it has a modifier that goes behind the rear most element.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/ChromeDarlot_2.jpg

With the modifier in place it focuses about 13 inches and is somewhat soft, actually very nicely soft.


http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/ChromeDarlot_3.jpg

http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Darlot4444Sale/DarlotDilemma/ChromeDarlot_4.jpg

[Louis Pacilla]

Hey Jim. My best guess is they came from a Bi-unial magic lantern slide machine something like this



http://www.antiq-photo.com/spip.php?article1273&var_recherche=Lanterne%20Magique%20Aubert

[Jim Galli]

Guessing's better than nothing. My guess is perhaps an early stereo outfit where you took the originals with one config and projected with the other? but the fact that they don't match up configured doesn't help that theory.

Thanks for the reply.

[Mark Sawyer]

Since they're not cut for stops, I'd guess that they're projection lenses. Since the focus knobs oppose, they may have been mounted side-by side. Or someone switched one of them for whatever reason. Perhaps one is a left-handed Petzval, and the other is a right-handed Petzval? :D

The extensions are the interesting thing. I've seen lots of casket sets that offer wide ranges of focal lengths with lots of intermediate steps, but only going from 9.5" to 10.5" doesn't seem like enough of a change to make it wothwhile.

I'm no help at all...

[Steven Tribe]

Even before I reached Louis's reply, I was convinced this is a biurnial (or part of a x-urnial) set.
The simple stamped Focal length on the achromats are typical. A single magic lantern with a whole set of focal length achromats (including duplicates) was on ebay recently.

[DanK]

Jim,

I've got a similar nickel Darlot petzval, but without the modifier (nor a place to fit one)...mine was from a McAllister 'New York' model magic lantern 1886 or so...

Dan