Portrait Lens Andrew Ross (London) 1850s

[heritagefutures]

Hi,

I have in hand a Petzval -Design Portrait Lens marked A Ross London with sn 4703

http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritag...es/6781703948/

I am trying to get more detail on the nature of the lens and in particular on similar early Ross lenses that may be out there.
To be upfront: I am trying to gauge the rarity of the lens so that I don't make a fool of myself when I offer it for swap/trade (as it will be highly unlikely that I will use it)...
Any suggestions (here or comment on the Flickr photo) would be much welcomed.

Cheers from OZ
Dirk
www.ausphoto.net

[heritagefutures]

More photos of the lens ca be found here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heritag...7629449309381/

[Steven Tribe]

No one can/will put a price on this. The market is small and most into using this kind of lens in LF have already gotten themselves a 50's Petzval. As you say "it will be highly unlikely that I will use it" - this applies to others, unless they are into still life or portraits and Sinar Copal shutters with very solid cameras.

[heritagefutures]

No one can/will put a price on this. The market is small ....

Thanks Steven, that's what I feared from the price side. Still, surely 1850s Ross lenses aren't that common..no collectors out there?

[Steven Tribe]

There are surely some, especialy as this is A.Ross period with the Rofs engraving of which perhaps just a few hundred have survived.
But optically, I think that there is not too much difference between the various early Petzval makers in the 50's - see CCHarrison's website summary of makers in the different periods.

[heritagefutures]

yep, I can see your point on the optical side of things...
still, would love to see how many early A Ross are out there, aport from what's listed here
will see what others might know...I am in no hurry and rather do my research properly...

[Emil Schildt]

At least two in here have one like that - slightly older...

Mine:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...1&d=1316614968

Post 29: richard K has a really old one!

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...highlight=ross

this thread:

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ur-Oldest-Lens

[heritagefutures]

At least two in here have one like that - slightly older...

Excellent! What size is yours? same, 12 Inch?
That lens of Richard's is an amazingly low serial!

[eddie]

the trouble is that in today's market the real rare and collectible lenses often do not get any "extra" or higher price as people just are not aware that they are rare or unusual. many time those lens actually get less than a similar more well know piece. i suspect that will be the case on your lens. even when they are engraved "ross" most of the lenses so not command a high(er) price. so one engraved "rolf" is likely to be missed all together. i do not believe this lens to be that rare.....i have seen and handled several.

another issue is there are not many true collectors in the market. most are users. so again a "rare" lens is lost to most.

[goamules]

I agree with the above. The market for LF lenses for all types is fairly small. A small subset like the old brass ones. An even smaller subset look for the uncommon or early ones. Personally, I like the older lenses, and think one day they will rise above the others. But it all depends on the whims of the collectors/users. Look at the classic car boom and bust the past 10 years. American muscle cars like corvettes and GTOs were going up in price every sale. While earlier Model A and T Fords just kept their value or went up slightly. At one point you couldn't get a 1960s big block Corvette for under $25,000, yet a Model A was still $8,000 or so. Of course, they made a lot of the Fords, so it's not a good example. But I collect several early maker brass lenses, some only made for less than 10 years, but typically their prices are below Dallmeyers, where were made from 1863 (if I recall) to the 1930s. For every Jamin Cone Centralisateur made there were probably 1,000 Dallmeyer A and B model petzvals, yet the latter are what people want right now.