RHS Model A

[cobbu2]

Hello All,

I just recently acquired a nice 4x5 tailboard field camera, which after some digging definitely seems to be an RHS Model A. Determining this took some time as my camera has no identifying marks or nameplates:

8837088371

Assisting my identifying quest was this link:

http://www.ramaglia.com/rhs.html

My camera is an exact match as an RHS 4x5 Model A (minus the nameplates). Unfortunately there seems to be precious little information on this camera or the company. Does anyone know anything about who RHS or the Raygram Corporation was? How many of these cameras were made and if such a small number to make them rarities, why would that be given their apparent quality?

The camera itself is great with complete movements and is nicely lightweight. Thanks in advance!

[John Kasaian]

Nice looking camera you got there!

[cobbu2]

Thanks John! At some point I will want/need to restore it, but for the time being it functions nicely.

In the mean time, I found out RHS was the Raygram-Hornstein Company, an east coast distributor of photo products. Not many seemed to have been made (1940s time frame), the few online examples I've seen with name plates have serial numbers no more than three digits.

[CampKohler]

The Raygram Corporation (at one time Minolta's largest wholesale distributor) merged with Hornstein Company in 1965 per this case (http://www.leagle.com/decision/197490962cmtc847_1819.xml/DARON%20INDUSTRIES,%20INC.%20v.%20COMMISSIONER). So if the camera was made in the 1940's, it couldn't have been associated with initials that meant those two. Later RH became part of Interphoto. I know about this only because of the book Kitty Genovese (http://www.kittygenovesebook.com), in which it is told that her brutal murderer (still in prison) worked there in accounting in 1964. Raygram's Mt. Vernon, NY building is now occupied by Geritrex Corporation.)

What does the S in RHS stand for?

[cobbu2]

An update... the owner of the now-closed Ramaglia link above has posted this (https://www.flickr.com/photos/120296402@N04/sets/72157642308332525/). The included article dated January 1941, confirms the time period these were made, but unfortunately includes no more details. Yet another clue to the mystery!