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Emil Schildt
8-Nov-2012, 11:32
any experts out there?

I have seen several different name plates (plaques?) from this awesome compagny.

GANDOLFI

GANDOLFI makers of LONDON

LOUIS GANDOLFI

and maybe others, BUT now I am looking at one with the name:

PATENT
GANDOLFI London
The word patent confuses me... would this mean it is a genuine Gandolfi OR that someone other brand have used the gandolfi name/technique...?

any suggestions?

IanG
8-Nov-2012, 12:13
Louis Gandolfi took out a patent in 1907 for a clamping device, so that Patent label would be on the camera with the part, I think for front swing.

The name on the cameras change depending on the actual owner of the company so it starts Louis Gandolfi, then Louis Gandofi & Sons, Gandolfi, I must have adverts in my BJP Almanacs for all 3, as well as.

Ian

Emil Schildt
8-Nov-2012, 13:08
Louis Gandolfi took out a patent in 1907 for a clamping device, so that Patent label would be on the camera with the part, I think for front swing.

The name on the cameras change depending on the actual owner of the company so it starts Louis Gandolfi, then Louis Gandofi & Sons, Gandolfi, I must have adverts in my BJP Almanacs for all 3, as well as.

Ian

thanks - so this means the camera is actually not a "real" gandolfi? But a camera with a patented front from Gandolfi?

IanG
8-Nov-2012, 13:34
thanks - so this means the camera is actually not a "real" gandolfi? But a camera with a patented front from Gandolfi?

No it's still a Gandolfi, UK made items often carried their Patent number when the parts referred to in the Patent are used. That front swivel fitting is exactly what Louis Gandolfi Patented in 1907

So my Ensign Speed Roll film reflex has it's Houghton's Patent number, my TP Quater plate & 6x9 reflexes have their TP shutter patents. Ross who made Zeiss and Goerz lenses in the UK stated they were made under Licence often quoating the Zeiss / Goerz Patent numbers.

By stating the Patent number they are stating clearly that the feature/design cannot be copied. I'm restoring my TQ Quarter plate reflex and the Patent number is stamped on the side of the shutter itself, unlike Graflexes and many other large reflex camears this shutter one comes out as a module and will function outside the camera

Nice camera :D

Ian

Emil Schildt
8-Nov-2012, 13:38
No it's still a Gandolfi, UK made items often carried their Patent number when the parts referred to in the Patent are used. That front swivel fitting is exactly what Louis Gandolfi Patented in 1907

So my Ensign Speed Roll film reflex has it's Houghton's Patent number, my TP Quater plate & 6x9 reflexes have their TP shutter patents. Ross who made Zeiss and Goerz lenses in the UK stated they were made under Licence often quoating the Zeiss / Goerz Patent numbers.

By stating the Patent number they are stating clearly that the feature/design cannot be copied.

Nice camera :D

Ian

Thanks again

I was wondering mostly, as I didn't know Gandolfi made this small cameras.. (not sure how small but I suspect quarter plate..)

Nice one.

Amedeus
8-Nov-2012, 13:39
Agreed with Ian, only the patent holder can use the patent claim on their product. If someone licenses a patent then that needs to clearly state that it is a licensed patent from such and such owner, legitimising the copy.

IanG
8-Nov-2012, 14:00
Here's the Patented part.

83247

I don't remember seeing that small Gandofi before either, but that swing control is shown in their Patencomparisont. It might be they didn't make many, they were one of the smaller manufacturers but better know because they continued until quite recently. Their adverts were always very small.

There probably wasn't much profit in making quarter plate cameras especially when competitors like Houghto;s, Thornton Pickard etc were manufacturing on a vast scale and metal bodied 9x12 & quarter plate cameras made in Germany (a few in the UK) where becoming mass produced and could be hand-held.

Ian

Emil Schildt
8-Nov-2012, 14:26
Here's the Patented part.

83247

I don't remember seeing that small Gandofi before either, but that swing control is shown in their Patencomparisont. It might be they didn't make many, they were one of the smaller manufacturers but better know because they continued until quite recently. Their adverts were always very small.

There probably wasn't much profit in making quarter plate cameras especially when competitors like Houghto;s, Thornton Pickard etc were manufacturing on a vast scale and metal bodied 9x12 & quarter plate cameras made in Germany (a few in the UK) where becoming mass produced and could be hand-held.

Ian

Thanks - I learn every day...

The only left "confusion" for me is proberly due to not too informative images or description on this camera.

Your diagram suggests indeed a front swing, but the images I have show tilt/shift/rise of the front but not actually the swing.

I see the lock, but thought it "only" served as a lock for the front. It seems if loosened, the front should be able to swing... (?)

I'll ask the owner what he knows..

Steven Tribe
8-Nov-2012, 14:56
I have found one of these 1/4 plate cameras with an identical name plate from an auction back in the early 2000's.
Competition to German 9x12cm camera?
No plate holders, of course?

Emil Schildt
8-Nov-2012, 15:00
I have found one of these 1/4 plate cameras with an identical name plate from an auction back in the early 20's.
Competition to German 9x12cm camera?
No plate holders, of course?

two wooden plate holders actually.

IanG
8-Nov-2012, 18:09
I'd assumed that controlled swing, but I might well be quite wrong and it it's just a focus track lock. Impossible to say withouth looking at the camera itself but re-looking at the Patent it's most likely just a simple clamp, just a quicker than then usual locking system.

Ian

IanG
9-Nov-2012, 03:43
Just an update, the front standard shown in the 1907 Patent is used on GANDOLFI'S UNIVERSAL DE LUXE HAND CAMERA, sold in various sizes.

The camera here apperas to be a Gandolfi Simplex which was a quarter plate hand camera. Gandofi made cameras to order so a consequence is there can be more variations compared to the larger camera manufacturers.

I've found the Simplex in a 1921 BJPA advert.

83301 83302

A Google search brings up no mention of this camera but Gandolfi were still advertising the Simplex in 1929 they had changed the adverts slightly, by 1931 the Simplex is no longer shown.

Ian

Emil Schildt
11-Nov-2012, 04:56
Thanks Ian (Where DO you get all this information....)

Update

I got a mail from the owner and he tells me he checked the front and it seems to be "only" a locking device.. he cant' make the front swing.

Also he confirmed it is a quarter plate camera.

IanG
11-Nov-2012, 06:26
Thanks Ian (Where DO you get all this information....)

Update

I got a mail from the owner and he tells me he checked the front and it seems to be "only" a locking device.. he cant' make the front swing.

Also he confirmed it is a quarter plate camera.

Emil, I have a growing collection of British Journal (Photography) Almanacs, every copy from 1935-1963 after which it became the British Lournal of Photography Annual and some earlier copies from the late 1890's through to 1931. In the next weeks I'll be selling around 35 duplicate copies.

In addition to the BJPA's I have quite a few other books and magazines a few pre-1900. I guess the interest comes from my background as a Photographer and studying Industrial Arcaeolgy at University.

Ian

Emil Schildt
12-Nov-2012, 18:05
Couldn't help my self - I bought the damn thing....:rolleyes:

So now we'll see...

Emil Schildt
30-Mar-2013, 05:31
The name on the cameras change depending on the actual owner of the company so it starts Louis Gandolfi, then Louis Gandofi & Sons, Gandolfi, I must have adverts in my BJP Almanacs for all 3, as well as.

Ian

looking at the plaques again - the seem to vary a lot....

In the picture I'm looking to maybe buy the top one... and notices the old fashioned type of lettering... it looks older than my stereo (nr two in the row)...

And surprisingly my big one has "maker" not "Makers"... (?)

I like the Gandolfi's... but I have always said I'd "only" have one of each size or model... but now I have another possibillity: to go after different name plaques....:)

Steven Tribe
30-Mar-2013, 09:24
Just checking out to-day the UK "earlyphotography" website and I see it is revamped since my last visit. They now have a section on UK photography patents and it includes the Gandolfi front standard/base locking fixing device.

However, there is a text elsewhere which may cause distress:

"Early Gandolfi cameras were of high quality comparable to the best makers of the period, their later cameras, though, do not match the workmanship or construction of their earlier models. In part this may be explained by components, such as brass work, having to be made in-house rather than being bought-in and high-quality timber being harder to acquire."