I recently acquired a good Wollensak lens in a desperately damaged shutter which carries an aperture scale of f6 to f45. I suspect this had only been used to supply a working aperture range. The lens itself bears no markings other than Wollensak Rochester USA.
I have been able to fit the front and rear lens cells into a good working Alphax No 3 shutter and by fitting the lens onto a monorail camera I have established that it focuses on infinity at 9" (203mm). I established the measurement of focal length by using a known focal length lens and taking the measurement from focal plane to the point on the front standard that confirmed the focal length of the known lens. I then applied the same rules to the mystery lens.
The front and rear cells appear to be identical each showing 3 reflections (one large, one medium and one tiny). Using only the rear cell an infinity image is starting to come into focus at around 17 inches. Unfortunately this is the maximum bellows extension I have.
Having done a lot of searching through the Wollensak catalogues on the camera eccentric website the most likely lens appears to be the Versar No 2 (which was renamed No 3 in 1922) and which had a stated focal length of 8.75 inches. Alternatively a Versar number 3 (renamed No. 4 in 1922) with a focal length of 9.5 inches from 1916. Given the margin of of error inherent in my determination of measured focal length (different lens designs) either of these may fit the bill.
However looking at as many images of Versar lenses as I can find these all have their name and description on the barrel. Given the other slight inconsistencies I am wondering if this lens could be some other type that I have been unable to discover. One thought occurred that it may originally have had a ring around the front element giving more information. From outward appearances it looks a bit like a Velostigmat 1a with such a missing ring and the measured focal length would fit with a no. 4 Series 1a Velostigmat f6.3 but the cells look wrong for this and it does not appear to be a triple convertible like the 1a Velostigmat.
Perhaps there was a reason for producing the lens with no description; a private contract with another company perhaps. Any ideas welcome.
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