What is the purpose of this baffle?

[John Olsen]

I think the owner had lens boards in two different sizes, maybe from two different formats. When he wanted to use the smaller lens board he would just raise the baffle and not have to move the lens to the other lens board. Or am I missing the point altogether?

[pgk]

I doubt this simply because I cannot see how it would work with the constraints of size and lenses. Also, other Moorse cameras seem to have a similar front with no provision for bigger/smaller lens boards. The more I look at it, the more I think it was simply for light tightness at extreme rise/fall, even if this was overkill.

[Tin Can]

Front outside does look like rise and fall movements

This first image inside shows a possibility of lateral shift

I recently bought a whole plate Tailboard camera in need of some restoration, by London maker Moorse of 154 High Holborn (made a short way from R G Lewis's High Holborn shop where I worked during student days). No major problems, just a few parts need making. However inside the front section is a movable baffle with a small handle on it which moves up and down, locks into place at either top or bottom and takes up about 1/4 of the room inside the front section (photo attached). Can someone tell me what the purpose of this was? There are some nice touches on the camera - the clips holding the back in place 'click' closed for example. It also came with a lens flange fitted which I am pretty certain is from a Dallmeyer 3D Lens and again to confirm can someone measure the rear thread diameter from this lens if possible please - I think that it should be 2 3/4"?
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