have you ever seen this? Big, pretty & stange In a good way?

[Louis Pacilla]

Hi All

Check this out. This is a sunken mount 480mm f4.5 Voigtlander Heliar German made serial 12x.xxx. Never been mounted. At least until now. Even had original leather cap. That's good because,,, well check out photo & you'll get it.

I was wondering, has any one seen a Heliar of this focal length in sunken mount? My other question is why sunken @ this focal lenght? Special application I guess. Had to do some magic to mount a Packard. Worked out well. Looks like an eye on my 8a.

[Steven Tribe]

Is this an aluminium alloy version or the brass type? The 480mm was certainly well known as a "map maker" process lens and Voigtländer later developed a special series of 480mm Heliars under another sales name specifically for this purpose - see VM. Nice piece of carpentry!

[Louis Pacilla]

Hi Steve

Its Brass & has near 100% original paint. The rear of the lens is very finished as if for the Photographic market. Came originally from Burk & James Lens Bank . That was what B&J called their shelf's I guess.
I don't think was made for Military from the way it looks & the lens is missing any military marks. The lens is complete and as I said looks to be maybe special order. But what benefit could the sunken mount in this focal length accomplish?
I'm not complaining about the lens as she's a gem. I simply have never seen a Heliar quit like this .
Thanks for the reply Steve
Peace
Louis

BTW- This was built completely in by Voigtlander in Germany. This not a B&J rebuild. I know they did that however this is not one of those. Also B&J where one of the nations top photographic supply house. They sold all makes of lenses. Maybe more than any one else at the time.

[johnschlicher]

Wow Buddy that is unusual I never knew what you were talking about when you said sunken mount Heliar.. As you already know--no help here--Looks Great on your camera

Merry Christmas

John

[Steven Tribe]

I don't think the German's were very big in military marks unlike the Air Ministry in London! This is from 1910/11 and this was exactly the period that the zeppelins were getting into serial production - some of which were purchased by the military. These "ships" would have made a perfectly steady platform for a large camera which could have mounted in the crews quarters underneath. There is, unfortrunately, no-one left to ask about the photographic use that Zeppelins were put to!

[Louis Pacilla]

Good info & input. Thanks Steve.

I don't think the German's were very big in military marks unlike the Air Ministry in London! This is from 1910/11 and this was exactly the period that the zeppelins were getting into serial production - some of which were purchased by the military. These "ships" would have made a perfectly steady platform for a large camera which could have mounted in the crews quarters underneath. There is, unfortrunately, no-one left to ask about the photographic use that Zeppelins were put to!

[BarryS]

It's clearly a rare geheimnis lenkbare spion linse* if I've ever seen one.

*secret dirigible spy lens (badly translated)

[Jon Wilson]

Hi Louis,

No I have not seen one of these, but I have debs on the next one...

Great addition to your collection of working photographic equipment. It appears we have Jim Galli west of the Mississippi whereas you and Eddie are holding up your photographic own (so to speak) east of the Mississippi.

[Gene McCluney]

The sunken lens mount for Heliars was a common option in the 1920's. Perhaps later. I have no idea why, though.

[Steven Tribe]

There were a lot of SL reflex camera with FP shutters made in the first decades of the 20th C with big viewing hoods. When the FP shutter gives up and the hood disintegrates, the objectives were taken off and sold later. Without helical focussing on most of them. Mostly a german and uk speciality (apart from F&S) - these were made as big as 5x7.