Taylor, Taylor & Hobson - Cooke series 1V, 13" anastigmat

[Colin Myers]

A friend has just found one of these, with serial # 56,731 and engraved for 8" x 10".
This is a brass barrel lens with a maximum aperture of f5.6.
Does anyone have any further information, idea of age, original use, etc?
Colin Myers

[Steve Hamley]

The Vade Mecum lists it as an f:5.6 Portronic (triplet if the design is the same as a Series IV as stated)), made in focal lengths of 13", 16", 18" and 15.5 and 22" added in 1926. Soft focus portrait lens. The design appeared to be about the same as the Series IV except the front element moved instead of the rear.

Steve

[Jim Galli]

Steve, the Portronic is Series VI, not IV. Is the original post a typo?

[Steve Hamley]

Jim,

Nope, I'm apparently dyslexic today.

The Vade Mecum calls the Series IV "Medic" and says it is a triplet with a longer rear element to exchange for longer focus work. Ut goes on to say that it is medium sharp, was offered in FL from 5"-18" initially, but the range was 13", 15.5", and 18" by the 1920s. Some were very unsymmetrical.

Sorry about the confusion Colin!

Steve

[Colin Myers]

Steve,
No problem, grateful for anything on this. I had not heard of a Series 1V before this.
Colin

[Ernest Purdum]

The catalog entry I have speaks of it being designed for high-speed work with focal-plane shutters. It wasn't the fastest, that was the Series II at f4.5, The 13" size was rated for 8" X 10" at full aperture and 11" X 14" at f16. It was a triplet.

[Colin Myers]

Thanks Ernest,
Does anyone have any idea of the age? Is there a published list one can check serial/production number against year. 56,731 sounds an awful lot of lenses for early on, unless they did not start the sequence at 0.
Colin Myers

[Ash]

The name gives you a clue. It's an early lens because it still says "Taylor, Taylor & Hobson". Two of my lenses are by the same makers, but the newer one doesn't have the extra "Taylor" in the name. I can't remember the exact date the name changed but maybe someone else here will know.

Mine also have HUGE serial numbers.