U.S. Optical Co.???

**johnschlicher** · 6-Jan-2011, 04:16

W.A. Symm n.o 1

Found an old brass lens, Has U.S. optical co on one side, and w.a symm no.1 on the other side has wheel stops on it.

I did a goggle search and couldn't find anything--this is a small lens and I found him mounted to an old 6 x 6 lens board ??---so naturally I put him on my 8 x 10, you probably already know the end result. Couldn't get the bellows close enough together to focus

I have a lot of old camera gear books-- still could find anything. Any help would be appreciated, thanks John

Attachment 49511

**Glenn Thoreson** · 6-Jan-2011, 11:32

It's a wide angle symmetrical, i.e. Rapid (?) Rectilinear. There were lots of opticians making photographic lenses back in the day. It can be hard to sort them out, as they were usually very short lived. I've heard of this company but don't know anything about it. The number 1 probably refers to the size of the plate it was made to cover. I don't remember how the sizes were numbered, but this would be a small size, maybe quarter plate (?). The lens is probably very sharp in the center of the field but these tended to fall off rapidly at the edges and corners. I hope you can find a way to use it.

**Steven Tribe** · 6-Jan-2011, 13:34

U.S. Optical ( I think) was a fairly short lived organisation which carried on from some others and became the basis of ANSCO? But the experts will know!

**johnschlicher** · 6-Jan-2011, 14:24

Covers 5 x 7 wide open--been shooting with this guy all day---

Tried 8 x 10 first --stopped down fell way short, about a inch an 1/2--just on one side?

Stuck my 5 x 7 reducing back on and tried it wide open---will try to post pic's after the negatives dry---

**GPS** · 6-Jan-2011, 14:37

Originally Posted by Steven Tribe

U.S. Optical ( I think) was a fairly short lived organisation which carried on from some others and became the basis of ANSCO? But the experts will know!

It was a manufacturing division of the Ansco company after they bought it but before it was producing lenses even for C.C.Harisson. I don't remember more of their story even if I read it recently.

**goamules** · 6-Jan-2011, 15:12

Originally Posted by Steven Tribe

U.S. Optical ( I think) was a fairly short lived organisation which carried on from some others and became the basis of ANSCO? But the experts will know!

Nope. E H Anthony and Scovill became ANSCO. Also, don't confuse U.S. Optical with N.Y. Optical Works which did have an early connection.