Today I managed to get a lens for pretty cheap, mostly due to the fungus that was in it, but it cleaned up quite nicely.
It's marked:
8 in f/4.5 COOKE ANASTIGMAT LENS T.T.&H LTD No 6340
Stops down to f32. Considering the focal length and aperture I'd guess it's a Series II? Alas it is not marked as one, does anyone have any information or experience with this lens? It's very useful for me as the flance is near the front element, so I could mount it on my Mentor Reflex and get infinity focus.
I don't know any more about it than you. I agree, if it's f4.5 it's a Series II. Sunken mount, it was probably special for a Mentor Reflex or some such. Gorgeous lenses all.Originally Posted by Math
Also, each lens seperately is engraved with xlvi.
Thanks! I can't wait to use it, I hope the previous presence of fungus won't affect the quality too much, it's still ever so lightly hazy.
(Pardon the double post)
IF the fungus hasn't etched the glass it really does no harm. I have a big Series VI 15" Knuckler this way. If you tilt the light right you can see where the fungus was at one time but certainly it performs as new.
I have an old Kodak Dialyt process lens that I've never bothered to take apart. It's a literal jungle inside and the photographs done with it are a marvel to see. I think the function of fungus is mostly on value when sold, not on images made.
Thanks, I'm happy to hear that. It's as you described, at a certain angle you can see where the fungus once was, but the glass is very smooth nonetheless. Time to make some test shots!
Unmarked Cooke lenses are nearly always series II sold to makers of UK cameras - especialy, as JG says, reflex cameras. Must have been on a smaller makers camera as the bigger maker usually had their initials on the rim like T-P and APIM. But not found on Mentors, though, except perhaps those marketed outside Germany!
I just picked up a TT&H Cooke Kodak Anastigmat f6.3 in B&L Compound shutter. No other marking but seems to be around 6-7" focal length. Any idea what this is? Could they have stuck any more names onto it?
Thanks,
Dan
Dan, it could have come from a Folding Pocket Kodak. I have one such that came from an FPK #3 Model H. No indication of focal length on the lens, just like yours.
I've been interested in extracting f/6.3 Tessars from FPKs, have compiled a list of f/6.3 Tessar focal lengths by camera size. #1, 4 3/8" - 4 1/2"; #1A, 5" - 5 3/8"; #2C, no f/6.3 Tessars offered, the format is 2 7/8" x 4 7/8"; #3, 5" - 5 3/8"; #3A, 6 3/4" - 7 1/4"; #4, 6 3/4" - 6 7/8"; #4A, 8.25". I expect that other lenses fitted to these cameras -- many types were used, from all of the leading lens makers -- would have roughly similar focal lengths.
Don't take this list as gospel, especially since I haven't updated it to reflect a 100/6.3 CZJ Tessar seen on a very late UK-made #1 Autographic Folding Kodak. Also note that these cameras were also offered with f/4.5 Tessars and, at least in the smaller sizes, the f/4.5s were shorter than the f/6.3s. Seems odd since the f/6.3s have more coverage. The old hands on www.graflex.org insist that there were no rules in Rochester; I think FPKs confirm their belief.
If you want to go blind looking at old Kodak catalogs, there's a nice collection at http://mgroleau.com/catalogues_kodak/
Cheers,
Dan
Series IIIb (168mm) ? Has the confusing name aviarica. This is the only TT&H which seems to match.
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