In terms of large format cameras Gandolfi are quite well known as a quality British maker helped no doubt by having the accolade of being the camera maker in business for the longest time. However identifying Gandolfi models and dating them is far from easy as there is a real lack of information which helps to do so.

I have a mahogan tailboard camera with no name plaque on it but which, after extensive examination, has proven to have "L Gandolfi Maker London' stamped onto the timber beath the front of the bellows. To see this requires a torch and dentsist mirror! I believe that this may well be an "Universal" model and as such it may date from just prior to ~1900. I also have another tailboard of such almost identical construction that I am convinced that it too is by Gandolfi despite neither nameplate nor stamps. But this one is made out of teak and I suspect may actually be one of the cameras which Gandolfi was contracted to supply to the government's "Colonial "Office, for use in India and Malaysia. Government contracts could easily have stipulated that there should be no maker's marks on the cameras supplied under contract. I also note that Gandolfi made a camera which was named the "Imperial". Now I just wonder if the "Universal" was renamed as the "Imperial" as a result of this contract?

Does anyone have any information on whether this may actually to be the case?