I apologize for the nondescript title of this thread, but I do not know what this device is called. It is marked "SCOVILL MFG. CO. N.Y." - please see the attached photographs. Any comments would be appreciated as to what this is known as, what it was used for, and about what time period it dates to. Also, does anyone have an idea why a photograph was nailed to the one side?
Thank you,
David
It's a contact printing frame. The dial on the back - the arrow with the numbers was to remind the photographer - or instruct the assistant -- how long an exposure was needed. Quite often there would be a stack of these frames, so the dial helped remember which was which ( exposure -wise). Some professional studios had a rack on the roof for exposing to sunlight. -- Why the picture nailed on? Well, my guess is the photographer needed an opaque cardboard -- cut into an oval to print a vignette. Anyway , that's my guess.
Scovill was the sco in Ansco. Ansco was made up from Anthony and Scovill.
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