R. Walzl of Baltimore

[RHunter13]

Hello all-

I have found a lens a shop in town but cant find an info on the maker. It is marked as a R. Walzl of Baltimore #1216. I dont know where to look as i have been searching or hours. Its a clean lens and i really want to get it but would love it if anyone can shed some light on the maker.

Thanks

Hunter

[John Kasaian]

Nope, but I think I went to school with his sister

[Paul Fitzgerald]

A picture would be handy. Both B&L and Wollensak rebranded lenses to local seller's names.

[RHunter13]

I will try to get a image tomorrow.

[Glenn Thoreson]

Also, if it's old enough, it could have been made by a local optician. Quite a few opticians produced camera lenses in the 1800s. It was a good source of extra income for them. There are a lot of those kind of lenses that have no historic record.

[Jim Galli]

I have an enormous R Walzl petzval lens. Mine is missing an element in the rear group so sadly it's almost worthless except as an imposing theatre piece on an ancient studio camera. I never learned much either. It doesn't look like any of the usual culprits from 1900 Wolly and or B&L when they were making lots of house brand lenses for everybody. It seems much earlier than this like 1860 - 1870 ish. Hoping someone who knows some more will pipe in. This is the place. Perhaps one of the re-enactors forums might have a practitioner that knows a bit more?