Need Grubb Lens Expertise

[pgk]

Thanks, that's a really useful advert. Can you confirm the date, as I'm still researching Grubb lens dates, please?

[fabphoto73]

Yes 1875 according to the source (google books). Here's an even earlier one from Joseph Solomon Catalogue 1861.

[Willeica]

Paul (pgk) and I have an advertisement for Grubb lenses which carries similar references to Mr Bedford etc. This also carries the address of his home 141 Leinster Road, Rathmines, Dublin. Thomas Grubb moved into that house in 1863 or 1864, according to Dublin Street Directories. That would be the earliest time at which the advertisement could have been produced. It does not contain a reference to B3 lenses, which must have come later. I brought Paul to see that house and other Grubb properties when he was in Dublin last March. We did not go inside as it has long since ceased to be owned by the Grubb family and it is now let out in bedsits.

William

[pgk]

Thanks, very useful. The Advertisement which I am really keen to see is a Solomon one in the "Photographic Journal" for 'April 9th (No. 82)' which is referred to in a later advert dated 15-10-1859 as it contains prices, so I'm assuming it was from the year 1859 - which looks correct from copies of the magazine that I have located. The problem I have is that all the copies I have found have been bound, and with the adverts removed. A Solomon advert dated 1870 does show Petzvals, but omits the B3.

[peter brooks]

Excellent. I wondered if someone with another 'half' B3 would buy this. The only odd thing about the B3 Grubb Petzval is that it isn't listed in the contemporary advertisements I've tracked down so far. Looking at the B1, B2 and C1 and C2 Grubb Petzval specifications it should have around 3" diameter front and back lenses, be around 9" 'back focus' and could just about cover whole plate perhaps/maybe. So if you can post the actual figures they would be interesting to compare to the others.

2680 convalesced with me for a few months but is now back with it's owner. Great advertisements, the c.1875 one answers your queries I think. Interesting that the B3 is numbered 4a, which would imply that it has been slotted in as an afterthought to an original plan.

A quick projection of the complete B3 against some mount board suggested that it would cover full plate.

[pgk]

All makes good sense. What really perplexes me are the production dates of Grubb lenses. And more and later adverts are not helping!

[Willeica]

Thanks, very useful. The Advertisement which I am really keen to see is a Solomon one in the "Photographic Journal" for 'April 9th (No. 82)' which is referred to in a later advert dated 15-10-1859 as it contains prices, so I'm assuming it was from the year 1859 - which looks correct from copies of the magazine that I have located. The problem I have is that all the copies I have found have been bound, and with the adverts removed. A Solomon advert dated 1870 does show Petzvals, but omits the B3.

I would be interested to see what any advertisement from 1859 says about C lenses. I have both 482 and 509, Aplanatics from the 1850s, both about C size. The former is Grubb portable mount, whereas the latter is helicoid. I would be interested to see if the lenses were sold in one type only or in both versions.

William

[pgk]

Interestingly the results from a rather 'tired' early (1860~65) Grubb Patent Doublet (2 x Aplanatic lenses around a central stop) are surprisingly good today. Accepting that this is from an A7II so its just the central area of the image, it has plenty of detail and only flare and an associated(?) rather odd colours palette which differentiates the results from a modern lens. Distortion and chroma are low.

[Willeica]

The latest addition to my collection, 5045 Howard Grubb/Watson Aplanatic Doublet from the 1880s, arrived today. It is very similar to 5046 which was mentioned already in this thread. It came with a flange and a Waterhouse stop.



William

[Willeica]

My other 4 Grubb lenses, all Aplanatics from the 1850s and 1860s. From left to right, they are C 482, prob C 509 helicoid, D 2591 and Ax 3631.



William