How many Galvin 4x5 cameras were made?

[John Schneider]

Does anybody have an idea? On a whim I checked my s/n and it's 104x; the other one I know of was 106x. If Jim started at 1000 than maybe only a few hundred at most were made (I personally know of four), but if he started at 0001, then over a thousand were made.

[Leigh]

Were they made by the Galvin Manufacturing Co. of Chicago?

I have a non-photographic interest in that company.

- Leigh

[John Schneider]

Not AFAIK. According to this: http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/galvin_1.html they were made in Sacramento, which ties in with a statement that Gordon Hutchings made in, I believe, the Book of Pyro.

[Leigh]

Different company. Thanks.

- Leigh

[Brian Ellis]

Is Jim not around any more? Perhaps not but if he is why not just ask him? I don't have any contact information but he used to advertise in View Camera magazine.

[karl french]

He died a few years ago.

[John Kasaian]

I'd heard he'd passed as well. I was hoping I got the wrong info.

[Brian Ellis]

He died a few years ago.

Thanks, sorry to hear that.

[John Schneider]

As an update, I went through my gear prior to selling off some of my spares, and my "parts" 4x5 Galvin is s/n 101x (in addition to 104x and 106x). While this is only educated conjecture, it seems that production likely began at s/n 1000 or 1001 and ended with less than 100 of the 4x5 model being made.

[Curt]

As an update, I went through my gear prior to selling off some of my spares, and my "parts" 4x5 Galvin is s/n 101x (in addition to 104x and 106x). While this is only educated conjecture, it seems that production likely began at s/n 1000 or 1001 and ended with less than 100 of the 4x5 model being made.

I have a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 and the stamp on the bottom of the tripod mount is 1153. Are the 4x5 backs made the same way as the smaller format?