You know how it is, you see a camera and somehow it ends up being bought. I've just done this again. And I've ended up with a rather larger than anticipated piece of history. The camera has the nameplate of Reygondaud of Paris and an un-named rack and pinion lens with a 3" diameter front element. It takes 12" x 16" plates and has a roller blind mechanism on the rear - I'm trying to figure our how this works. Apparently it has history.
It came with a truly enormous tripod - 2.7m high when closed (I haven't actually extended it as yet, but there is at least 2m of extension - not sure my step ladder is high enough to use this). The tripod is marked Photo Reims Cathedral and the story attached to the camera is that it was in the cathedral during bombardment in WW1. There is hot shrapnel damage to the front brass of the lens (at the bottom in the photo attached) and some separation obviously caused as a result of this, although the lens still looks usable - or would if any aperture controls existed.
Not sure what exactly I will end up doing with it but its a fascinating bit of photographic history. It will need some TLC to deal with a few 'issues' but I will supply this. A friend sent me this link: https://maisons-champagne.com/en/enc...eims-309/-4748 and is it possible that this is what it was used for? Anyway if anyone can enlighten me about the camera or how the back works or really anything else which might add to my scant knowledge of it, I would be grateful. Thanks.
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