Help - Lens Collection Found in Basement

[byronfry]

I recently inherited a large collection of photography equipment that was being cleaned out of a basement. The owner left the country 10 years ago and never came back. I'm a photography student in art school and I have some experience with large format cameras, so I'll be trying all the lenses, but I'm a little overwhelmed by all the information I'm finding on them and I'm hoping that some friendly LFF'ers will point out any lenses of particular interest.

All the lenses are fairly clean with the exception of the Voigtlander Ultron which is thick with dust and cleaning marks and the Dallmeyer Soft Focus which looks to have some fungus. The Thornton Pickard shutter works smoothly.

Thanks for any information!

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[byronfry]

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[byronfry]

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[byronfry]

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[byronfry]

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[Jody_S]

Pity about the Meyer soft focus, I believe it's the most valuable lens of the lot. 2nd would be the Aero-Ektar/Speed Graphic combo, they're hot right now. I would start shooting with the 8x10 and the 30cm Dagor if I were you, it's a nice, manageable combination. Of course the Speed/Aero would be more fun.

[Frank Petronio]

Not bad considering how moist a BC basement must be. Wonder what that little wooden body and lens are?

[BrianShaw]

Frank... Photo 3 (I assume you are asking about) is a Thornton-Pickard roller blind shutter with lens. It belongs on the old plate camera (Sanderson, I believe) in my closet that does not have shutter and lens. ;) The lens is probably a relatively "normal" Rapid Rectilinear of that era.

[Steven Tribe]

What is in the large slim greenish canvas square bag at the rear in photo 1 post#2?

[byronfry]

Steven, the bag is a Pioneer Trapper Nelson fitted with padding for the 8x10 camera. It's a beast, but very handy.

[Corran]

Looks like a military-issue Speeder with the Aero-Ektar retrofit! Depending on the condition and such that might bring $1500-$2000 right now on eBay. They are slowing down though, so you should sell now if you are going to get rid of it. The military Speed is collectible itself, I have one I'm messing with now and retrofitting a smaller 6" Aero on.

[byronfry]

I assumed that the Graflex was military-issue, but there are no plaques or markings other than the green colour. Is this red triangle on the front related? This green tripod also came with the collection. Should it be kept with the Graflex? I was hoping not to have to store it, but I'll keep them together if it's original.. couldn't find any markings on the tripod.


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[Corran]

You got me on the tripod, I have no idea. It looks like the plaque has been removed. Mine says "US Army Signal Corps" right where those 4 screws/rivets are. Not sure about the red triangle honestly.

I am sure the green is indicative of military issue though.

[E. von Hoegh]

That 30cm Dagor is a sweet lens. I use one, same shutter and a serial number 173 earlier. One of the last made by Goerz Berlin/Freidenau before the Zeiss takeover.

[Jim C.]

Nice find !

Is there any film in those holders ( tap them gently and shake, if it rattles there's film ) ? Might be worth while to develop and see

[byronfry]

There is some film! I didn't think to check. I've never handled 8x10 negatives before, I'll find my notch guide and develop those at school.

[EdSawyer]

That is a nice find. The red triangle and related markings are a signal corps acceptance stamp, shows what base/depot it was accepted at, from the vendor. Those stamps appear on everything they bought/acquired/etc., from disposable supplies to stuff like cameras and vacuum tubes.

[IanG]

Drew, I still have the first test images I shot on EFKE Kb14 (now called Kb25) taken in the early 1970's with a Spotmatic F and SMC Takumar lens using a tripod. I've yet to find another current film with similar fine grain and sharpness along with excellent tonality. Agfapan AP25/APX25 was very close, Tmax 100 is a touch behind it's almost identical to APX100 in terms of grain, sharpness & tonality except its true speed is a stop slower.

When Kb14 was re-imported into the UK after being bought from Dupont and production switched to Zagreb it was still so far ahead of anything from Kodak, Ilford or Agfa etc at the time, the downside was the emulsion was even softer than the last decade or so but with care you could get superb results.

Nice collection of lenses and two useful cameras :D

Ian

[Jim C.]

There is some film! I didn't think to check. I've never handled 8x10 negatives before, I'll find my notch guide and develop those at school.

If they have viable images post them here - http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?85918-Found-Photographs&highlight=found

[Bryan Lemasters]

If they have viable images post them here - http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?85918-Found-Photographs&highlight=found

+1

The 8x10 looks like it might be an Indian (Rajah?) knock-off of a Deardorff V8?

[byronfry]

I was wondering about the 8x10. It looks very similar to a deardorff design. There are no markings on it, though it looks like the tripod mount was replaced so it could have been removed. Some of the hardware on the back is a different metal and there is brass-colored paint peeling off there.

[pierre506]

Wonderful heritage~

There are lot's of good lenes.

Valuable！！！

[Paul Ewins]

The 16.5cm Angulon could be handy too, as a wide for 8x10. I don't think you will get a lot of movement before the edges get soft but it should be OK straight on. FWIW it looks to be an early lens, but since there doesn't seem to be much collector interest in Schneider lenses that probably won't make difference to the value.

[E. von Hoegh]

+1

The 8x10 looks like it might be an Indian (Rajah?) knock-off of a Deardorff V8?

I think you may be correct.

[cyberjunkie]

This green tripod...
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I have the same tripod, unfortunately it's missing the crank to move the center coloumn.
I had it in storage for at least 2 years, and i brought it home just yesterday, to try to restore it to its full functionality.
The head is very useful with any camera with a large base, like any wooden folding. I hope it's sturdy enough for my Calumet C1.
The gray painting and the black plastic knobs are exactly like those of a post-war B&J view camera.
I'd love to know if i'm right.

Whatever the maker, if somebody out there owns an identical tripod in unusable condition (wood swollen for excess of humidity, tips of the legs attacked by woodworms, etc.), i offer to buy the crank assembly, which should come out removing a single screw.
Not many chances... but definitely worth giving it a try :)

have fun

CJ

[IanG]

I was wondering about the 8x10. It looks very similar to a deardorff design. There are no markings on it, though it looks like the tripod mount was replaced so it could have been removed. Some of the hardware on the back is a different metal and there is brass-colored paint peeling off there.

I did wonder if the camera is an early Deardorff but they aren't cameras that we see much (if ever) in the UK but they are more like British style field cameras than the Agfa Ansco, Korona, Seneca,Kodak etc cameras more typically found in North america.

Ian

[cyberjunkie]

I am no Deardorff expert either, but i have never seen one with the front standard fitted that way...
I didn't look closely, though it seems that the standard is hinged to the base, and it's missing the peculiar brass hardware of the Deardorff's.

cheers

Paolo

[cyberjunkie]

Sent you a PM, but your mailbox is full.
I guess that many forum users tried to contact, like i did, with suggestions or purchase offers.
I don't know if you read the messages, for sure you didn't erase any of them.
You reached the 100 messages limit.

I am sure you are not another hit and run user, coming here for a free evaluation of his/her newfound treasure... before going to Ebay :)
Your posts seem to be written by somebody who actually likes photography, not a bric-a-brac seller. So please make some room for incoming messages... and feel free to post a follow-up, with your personal impressions about your newfound photographic stuff.

Ahh, by the way, The Ultron is for 35mm, not LF :)

cheers

[byronfry]

Hi cyberjunkie,

I have deleted messages since you tried to reach me. I'm not selling anything from the collection - it was passed on to me because I would use it. I appreciate collectors contacting me, and if eventually I decide to sell to someone who would get more out of it than me, the money would go to the original owner.

New semester at school has just started, hence my absence from the thread. Thank you to everyone for the help identifying and the advice. I've learnt a lot from the comments and the private messages. I will make sure to post a follow up when I get a chance to try the lenses!