Does this lens deserve a Green Card?

[Steven Tribe]

There some things about this Petzval that just didn’t look right.

First of all, it was the colour of the brass. I would have sworn that the auctioneer had messed up the photos, but the brass really does look paler than usual - quite a lot paler.

Then there was the rectangular cut that had been made in the barrel, there were the track for the tangential drive was mounted. Inside it became obvious that major surgery had taken place, probably in connection with adaption to Waterhouse apertures. The new piece of the barrel has the more normal brass colour.

I can only surmise that the “patch” represents where a radial drive had been. I think only France and America made serial production of radial drive lenses. There is no sign of the mounting holes/threads for the turn mechanism on the brass sleeve -these must have been lost when Waterhouse cut out was made. Perhaps the makers name/serial number was lost at the same time - if these were close to the focusing knob. I am fairly sure the barrel and sleeve have always been together as they are a perfect fit and have the same weak yellow colour!

So is this a lost American who can’t remember his identity? Comments please. It is ca. 10/11” focal length Petzval with 82mm lenses.

There are lots of distinctive brass machining. The thread for the “lost” lens hood is raised (a lot) from the barrel. The flange thread is very coarse, the markings on the outer edges are exceptionally fine whilst those on the rear cell are quite coarse and a very steep angle to the thread. I seem to recall that these were characteristics of some American lens?