New to me 6 Old Lenses

[Tin Can]

With maybe more to come. I am starting with biggest in size, why not

I wrote a bit about this one on old thread recently that was the same lens

They almost didn't survive, shipped in a box that was open when I got it today

#1 all dull brass all text below exactly as seen

"PORTRAIT LENS SERIES C.
8 x 10
Fowler & Slater
Cleveland, O."


I guess a triplet, 2 elements removable in rear, one front.

Working multi-blade iris in middle, no shutter
aperture scale 1.4, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64

Heavy haze on all elements, I have not cleaned anything yet

9" tall, 4-1/2" OD top brass, 3-13/16 bottom OD

5 lbs 12 oz

5 hole removable flange

Any ideas as to type (RR?) age, maker etc

Portait Lens Series C by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

[Two23]

Wow, that's a lens!


Kent in SD

[Mark Sawyer]

Marked in the Uniform Scale, it's an f/5 Petzval by Bausch & Lomb. Compare it to the Cephaloscope and Universal Portrait Series A. Lovely portrait lens!

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...oft-1821095869

[Tin Can]

Thanks Mark and Kent, this one is even worse, meaning better

Wollensak Vitax portrait lens #3 f3.8 no 4842V in Studio shutter and I am now putting it away until pics tomorrow

I have done a little searching and Mark you came up!

These were going to garbage and almost did with that open box

[Jim Noel]

The Vitax is as it says,a portrait lens, and with the Studio shutter, very useful. Wish I had it

[Mark Sawyer]

A #3 Vitax could be either an early 16-inch or a later 10-inch. Wollensak changed the numbering so the lens number would match the shutter number. Another fine Petzval lens! Glad you rescued them.

[goamules]

Both are going to be excellent portrait lenses. The F5 that Wollensak made (not yours, a B&L) would allow you to convert it to a soft focus/landscape lens. You should see if your B&L will do that too. You just take the front element out, and screw it in the back (removing the back element). You leave the front open, and keep using the iris.

These were the top studio lenses America made in the 1890s-1920s, and really the main two companies that made them this big. They will take plates as good as any Dallmeyer.

[Tin Can]

Yes, the B&L front lens does fit on back. Very interesting. Thank you.

Been studying this site again to glean more. I have a couple SF on that page already.

2 Cooke and a Gundlach Achromatic Meniscus Lens No.6

All from the same source.

I now wonder what was missed and thrown out. It's all gone from the source.

Maybe a couple more little ones coming.

[goamules]

Probably some obscure ones like a Karl Struss Pictorial or a Pinkham and Smith.

[Andrew Plume]

Randy

The site that you mentioned is run by one, 'ccharrison' aka Don Colucci who posts on here and yes I've long wondered as to the paucity of brass lenses here in the
UK, I fear that too many were consigned to the waste tips

Enjoy what seems to be a new passion for you i.e. 'wet plate'

regards

Andrew