A Rembrandt figures into a short story I'm writing----the protagonist discovers and buys the camera at a police property book auction (or so the plot line goes) so I was wondering if anyone here can tell me what kind of box (color, approximate size, construction material---vulcanite?)The Rembrandt originally came in and how many film holders, etc. could fit inside? Thanks!
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
Your last sentence throws me. they took film holders just like any other camera, one at a time.
Here's one
http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth176430/
Since the last 4 people on earth who "might" know are here and don't, anything you make up will be believed. Me, I'd go with a phenolic hard board box with over-fitting lid held on by criss cross 1" web that had the pull tight latches. That would be consistent with commercial boxes that got shipped in the mid 1950's.
The Rembrandt was primarily a studio camera. A case to transport the camera and accessories would be less necessary for it than for cameras more likely to be used in the field. The 1951 Burke & James catalog I:\1OLDBOOK\MyFiles\Photography\B&J-1951.mht lists cases for their press, flatbed, and monorail view cameras, but not for the Rembrandt. I'm curious, why would the protagonist buy the Rembrandt? Just for the name? Does the protagonist know enough about large format cameras to be buying one?
One version of the Rembrandt had a folding bed. 5X7 and intended for Home Portraits. Traveling portraitists in rural places might well transport them in case with film holders.
those things didn't really fold up - so I doubt any cases were made for it
I do have an old B&J catalog at home..I can check though
and besides..the police would have all the stuff in a cardboard box or two
Camera Eccentric shows the B&J camera listings- 1951 Rembrandt Portrait (non folding), and 1967 Rembrandt II (folding).
No case listings though.
I'd go along with what Jim Galli mentioned.
I bought an Ansco 5x7, that came with a homemade wooden box/case for the whole kit, with 6 holders, and darkcloth...., The elderly seller said "The first thing I did was build a box for it."
Thank you all the responses! I arbitrarily picked the Rembrandt because the plot requires the camera to have been evidence in a murder committed in a portrait studio and it would give a non camera savvy reader a bit of color a la John D. McDonald In retrospect I'd be better off making it an Agfa Ansco, a camera which I know a little bit about.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
Are you sure Dagor77 hasn't already beat you to this story?
I need a reading comprehension class.
Originally Posted by cowanw
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks