PDA

View Full Version : Pinkham and Smith Special Portrait



Amedeus
14-Sep-2012, 10:12
I've been collecting information on the Pinkham and Smith lenses and history ever since I came across the images of Jim Galli and Jonathan Brewer little over a year back now.

Looked at the catalogs on the sites of some of the members here and Googled extensively to find what's available in catalogs and magazine publications.

About a week back I came across a reference for a Pinkham & Smith Photographic Apparatus catalog for the early 1900's in an academic library. I was able to get the 122 pages scanned (30MB pdf ...) for a scanning + admin fee and I'm attaching the pages related to P&S lenses below.

Based on the cameras represented in the catalog, this publication has to be post 1908 but most likely prior to 1912 ... the latter is just a guestimate based on the cameras that are not present. It would take more scrutiny and research by someone more familiar with 20th century camera equipment than I for a more accurate dating if at all possible.

I've not seen these pages before on any of the catalog sites I frequent so I hope these are useful to someone :)

8047680477

Some other lens pages for reference and price (at the time !) comparison ...

8047880479

There are some more pages on Goerz and Turner Reich lenses which I will post later if there's interest ...

Enjoy :cool:

CCHarrison
14-Sep-2012, 10:40
Rudi,

I assume you have seen my pages covering the P&S made lenses (those in your ad are by other makers) ? see http://antiquecameras.net/softfocuslenses.html

Best
Dan

And attached is an ad from a 1915 Catalog thats not on my website

80481

Amedeus
14-Sep-2012, 11:20
Dan,

I'm very familiar with the P&S made lenses on your site (thanks for all the SF lens info btw ...) and I'm aware that the lenses in the catalog I just posted are manufactured by other makers. We often see references to "relabeled" lenses sold under P&S engraving with associated, sometimes heated, discussion which glass in in these lenses ;)

Reason for sharing is to attach some timeline to these and put a visual reference out there. Show possible forms/shapes/focal lengths and what more for the next guy coming across one of those ...

Thanks for sharing the page out of the 1915 catalog, another great reference point.

Amedeus
14-Sep-2012, 13:38
Upon closer examination I found a faint post mark stamp on the cover of the catalog ... reads: xx.20.1908 ... narrowing the time down :)

Jim Galli
14-Sep-2012, 14:14
Good stuff Rudi. All of the lenses in the catalog pictures you posted are ordinary Bausch & Lomb products with Pinkham's name engraved. I've also seen the same thing with Wollensak Petzval's with Pinkham engraving.

No amount of education seems to keep people from bidding 4 or 5 times more for the Pinkham branded Wolly than the Wolly branded wolly though.

Amedeus
15-Sep-2012, 11:59
It's a quiet Saturday morning and I'm browsing old magazines I've collected in soft copy.

Below is maybe old news for the pro's on here but ...

The first number of Platinum Print didn't have any ads, they wanted to see what the response would be to the start of this publication. The second number though (Nov 1913) features an ad from P&S on the Series I, II and III. No mention of the IV as is the case in the 1915 catalog page Dan shared earlier in this thread. Third number of this publication (Jan 1914) has an ad for the Wollensak Verito and the November number of 1914 has a Karl Struss ad for his lens. I've few images attached for the clipping collectors ;)

8054880549

Jim Galli
15-Sep-2012, 13:05
OK, there's something new. I have 2 Struss lenses. I've never heard of nor seen a second series, double lens, f3 Struss. Anybody? I wonder if any got made?

That also helps to date the Series IV Pinkham's. Some time after 1913, before 1915, or perhaps some time in 1915. What I did already know though was that the very early ones are in the aluminum mount with the lovely hand engraving and funky aperture, (seen one like this on ebay) and the later more common ones are in barrels with apertures made by Wollensak.

goamules
15-Sep-2012, 14:59
I appreciate seeing that Struss ad too. I'm sure everyone notices the aluminum barrels, engraving, and other details of Karl Struss Pictorial lenses seems to match Pinkham & Smith Semi-Achromatic lenses. It would be nice to know where they were made; did Struss get them from the same supplier as P&S? Did Struss get them from P&S?

Jim Galli
15-Sep-2012, 15:07
I appreciate seeing that Struss ad too. I'm sure everyone notices the aluminum barrels, engraving, and other details of Karl Struss Pictorial lenses seems to match Pinkham & Smith Semi-Achromatic lenses. It would be nice to know where they were made; did Struss get them from the same supplier as P&S? Did Struss get them from P&S?


Being lucky enough to have both on hand, I can say that there is nothing interchangeable about the machining or other pieces. Yes, they look very similar but I do not think they were made in the same place.

Amedeus
15-Sep-2012, 15:55
The attached gave me a chuckle ... first page is a wanted add in August 1909 for a Pinkham and Smith 5x7 lens ... no further identifiers. Second image is the earliest ad I found (so far) in the Camera Craft from June 1911 for a P&S SA. Third text comes from Photo Miniature from October 1910 and is an interesting narrative ...

805628056380564

Enjoy

Amedeus
15-Sep-2012, 16:27
My last post for the day. An article from Arthur Hammond on Soft Focus lenses out of the Wilson Photography Magazine in 1913. I believe the 1896 date is pushing reality here as far as I remember from reading Russ Young's thesis but I always believed this came from a 1921 or 1922 publication in different magazine ... back to Russ's thesis to verify.

Interesting here is the reference to the Spencer Portland (available for over 3 years) and the Verito (available for 2 years) ... No mention of Bodine or Struss ... not that this "proves" anything ;-)

If the attached is not readable, send me an email and I'll respond with a readable attachment ... the original magazine is over 30Mb and not suitable for email.

805668056780568

Jim Galli
15-Sep-2012, 17:01
Pinkham and Smith; Pictorial lens of the past, present, and future

Almost eerie how they called that one.

russyoung
15-Sep-2012, 18:05
At least after Karl was drafted, the lenses were made by Frederick W. Keasbey Morristown, New Jersey, as many of the adverts note. Karl told me he felt certain that Keasbey was selling far more lenses than Karl rec'd payment for and asked him to cease production. Keasbey refused and sold them for at least several more years (and paid for the continued adverts in the magazines as well until Karl wrote various editors).

The Amon Carter Museum was willed Karl's estate. Somewhere in there (they couldn't find it when I visited them) is the black cardboard tube with a taped element inside that was Karl's prototype - he'd kept it all those years.

pierre506
16-Sep-2012, 02:36
Thank for your sharing, Rudi.

Amedeus
25-Sep-2012, 21:44
OK, there's something new. I have 2 Struss lenses. I've never heard of nor seen a second series, double lens, f3 Struss. Anybody? I wonder if any got made?

I checked all ads for Struss lenses in 1915 magazines and didn't find any other mention about the second series double lens Struss. All ads 1915 and later I've seen during my search last week talk about a single lens. Possibly Struss planned offering a doublet like Pinkham & Smith had already at the time but never got to it (war, draft, etc) ?

Also found later ads for Struss lenses being available in quartz (like the Kalosat) but never seen nor heard from one either.