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Thread: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

  1. #1
    Roy Hammans's Avatar
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    Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    I have just acquired an almost mint Gandolfi Universal, dating from around 1900-1920, stamped with Louis Gandolfi's name inside. It has a perfectly good original Ross Xpress 6 inch f4.5 lens with no shutter, plus original Gandolfi dark slides.

    It has provenance going back to its early years as the sole camera used by the University of Cambridge's Sedgwick Museum and Department of Geology photographer Albert Barlow in the UK in the early to mid 20th century. His successor bought it from the University when the department finally closed its photo unit, around the same time all the other in-house University photography departments were closed down (I used to work for one of them in the 1970s). I have bought it from him.

    I am in the process of restoring it as it's a bit grubby having been been packed away for well over 20 years unused. It has a new bellows, fitted some time ago, but is original in every other way, including (I believe) the lens.

    I know my way around most large format cameras but can't quite work out what the two knurled knobs on the top of the rear standard are meant to do (see photo). Does anyone happen to know?

    My initial thought that they were to lock and release the swing back, but they appear not to do this as the back still swings whether they are loose or tightened.

    All advice gratefully received.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails _RSH2500.jpg   _RSH2502.jpg   _RSH2503.jpg  
    Roy
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    The Golden Fleece

  2. #2
    William Whitaker's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    My best guess is that the knobs are a focus lock for the rear standard.

    Lovely camera, btw.
    Last edited by William Whitaker; 29-Sep-2019 at 08:01.

  3. #3

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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    A wild guess, but some kind of rise for the rear standard, perhaps?
    "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

  4. #4

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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    Hi Roy

    From experience of owning, having owned a number of similar Tailboard's, definitely for holding the rear standard in place

    good luck with the restoration

    Andrew

  5. #5

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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    Fold down the bed. Pull out the rear standard for rough focus. Use the two locks on top of the rear standard to lock it in place. Fine focus with the knob on the right of the bed. I love Gandolfi Universals. Just about every British camera maker made a version of this camera.

  6. #6
    Roy Hammans's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    Thanks everyone.
    I agree that they must be for locking the rear standard in place, the problem is that currently they don't.
    It looks like I'll have to unscrew a few screws last tightened by Louis Gandolfi (and beautifully aligned as was his practice), remove the rear standard and see if I can free the clamping mechanism that runs underneath the rails on the folding bed.

    I'll report back on how it goes.
    Roy
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    The Golden Fleece

  7. #7

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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    This locking system - which is most common on the front standard on the more traditional UK field cameras - does eventually show signs of wear in the small piece of flat brass which clamps around the brass strip in the base. This will probably have to be renewed on both sides. In theory, they could have just been displaced from underneath the rail by uneducated hands!
    Try unscrewing the knobs and lifting the rear standard up! You may also need to turn the back to remove any other locating strips from underneath the rail.

  8. #8
    Roy Hammans's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    UPDATE.
    On removing the rear standard from the guide rails it was immediately obvious where the problem lay.
    The rods that go from top to bottom of the rear standard are made of steel and were well and truly rusted. The expansion of the rust against the mahogany meant that there was absolutely no freedom to move at all, so the rear standard could not be locked in place along the rails.

    After applying a small amount of WD40 and leaving overnight, I was able to gently tap the threaded end with a soft hammer and gradually free them enough to get a grip on the locking plate sufficient to twist back and forth until they started to move. They put up quite a fight!

    The photographs show what I found...
    Click image for larger version. 

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    This shows one rod after restoration next to the one still to be done.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    I also took the opportunity to restore the brass guide rails while I was at it. No signs of wear and they come up as new (left side: before; right side: after).
    Click image for larger version. 

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    The rear standard now locks in place perfectly and I marvel at the design ingenuity that allows this simple mechanism to provide a reasonable degree of back swing as well.
    Roy
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    The Golden Fleece

  9. #9

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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    Well done!

    I thought you might like to see the illustration on the cover of the standard book on UK camera makers. A horizontal version of yours - made by ? for Ross.

    After seeing your corrosion, I removed the locking mechanism from my Lizar 15x12" to check condition. No problems - all parts are made in brass. There is an extra brass screw in the underneath locking plate, which allows tension and release, but prevents it turning and getting stuck!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails image.jpg   image.jpeg   image.jpg  

  10. #10
    Roy Hammans's Avatar
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    Re: Seeking Gandolfi knowledge

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven Tribe View Post
    Well done!

    I thought you might like to see the illustration on the cover of the standard book on UK camera makers. A horizontal version of yours - made by ? for Ross.

    After seeing your corrosion, I removed the locking mechanism from my Lizar 15x12" to check condition. No problems - all parts are made in brass. There is an extra brass screw in the underneath locking plate, which allows tension and release, but prevents it turning and getting stuck!
    Thanks Steven, it's odd that Gandolfi chose to use steel rods when everything else is brass.
    Not seen that book, may seek out a copy. The cover camera looks like a copy of mine - or perhaps it pre-dates Gandolfi and that's where he got his design from!
    Roy
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    The Golden Fleece

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