Bentzin Field Camera early 20th century

[Renger-Patzsch Scholar]

Hello, Friends—

I am a university professor currently finishing a book about the German photographer Albert Renger-Patzsch and I have a question that I hope might benefit from the combined wisdom of this forum. I trust some of you may have heard of Renger-Patzsch as a key photographer of the New Objectivity (Neue Sachlichkeit). To make a long story short, I’m looking for an image to use in my book to illustrate a passage in which he describes his first experience with photography. The passage comes from an essay written in 1953 in the German publication Photo Magazin. In my translation, the passage reads:

“In the year 1911—I had just turned 14—I took my first picture. I took advantage of my father’s absence, borrowed his Bentzin field camera and, using a 13 × 18 Chromo-Isolar plate and a Goerz Series IV, f/7.7 focal length 210mm lens, photographed an acquaintance. Together, shaking in anticipation, we developed the plate in iron-oxalate developer.”

What I am looking for is a high-resolution image (300dpi) of either the specific 13 × 18 Bentzin camera or possibly an old advertisement for one (or anything else that is relevant). If you know of anything, please send me a note—I would be most grateful!

Thanks!

Renger-Patzsch Scholar

[Jimi]

Perhaps something similar to this?

http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x...-Bentzin_.html

[Renger-Patzsch Scholar]

Perhaps something similar to this?

http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x...-Bentzin_.html

Thanks for the speedy response! I’d seen that image/page before and suspected that might be the camera in question. So that’s quite helpful, definitely. But the question remains whether it’s possible to get a high resolution version of that image.

[Jimi]

Contact the man behind the collection, maybe he has the original advertisment, or a higher quality scan of it.

[Steven Tribe]

There was quite a lot of development of field cameras in Germany at this time. Too much, as the variety of models offered by the many makers lead to very little profitability with crisis mergers as a result(ICA and Zeiss-ikon). The Bentzin in the link is their top model - sporting the suddenly popular black finish and the focal plane shutter. It is far more likely to be the more common standard mahogany finish model with the shutter on the lens - a family father playing the role of “Serious Amateur”!

I have the mahogany 13x18 Bentzin as shown below. It looks a lot like other cameras of that era. Unusually, the brass lens board locking plate has the Manufacturers data. The brass work is rather attractive.

Photos just for OP making a decision!

[Renger-Patzsch Scholar]

Contact the man behind the collection, maybe he has the original advertisment, or a higher quality scan of it.

Any idea who that is or how I might contact him/her?

[Renger-Patzsch Scholar]

From my research I think that’s probably exactly what I’m looking for. If I might contact you somehow to tell you more about the images, let me know! (I’m a bit of a novice with forums and their mechanics, I’m afraid...)

[Steven Tribe]

Camera open without extensions - a bit dusty! A combination of camera/plate holders/wood tripod would match the text best.

[Steven Tribe]

If you press on my name,you can send mail directly to my email address. Or to stevenbtribe at icloud.com.
I have plenty of Goerz lenses around 210mm (but only the series III ) I could mount.

[Renger-Patzsch Scholar]

Then stay tuned—you’ll hear from me shortly. I’d heard this forum was filled with generous and quick-responding people and that’s being born out.