Giant Jamin 30" Cone Centralisateur Lens

[Craig Tuffin]

I recently acquired this 19" long (30/31" focal length) lens and would love to know a little more about it. Some of the information I've found about the transition of the business from Jamin to Darlot doesn't fit what I've found hidden within this lens.

On removing the front element I found it pencil marked (as is typical of Darlot lenses). It read 'W Morley' and what looks to be 'Islnyton' (this last one could be wrong). One of the rear elements is marked 'A. Svoboda' and 'Jamin a Darlot 1869'.

As the front of the barrel is marked:
JAMIN BTE SGDG
Rue Chapon 14 Paris
2318

The elements are 7.5" across and 2 of the 3 are in terrific condition. The outer rear element was back-to-front and as a result has some scratches in the centre (total area about 15 - 20mm across) from the element projecting past the rim. I would love to know whether anyone thinks the scratches would make a difference to the image and/or it should/could be repaired....and where...
Everything else on this lens works perfectly, the hood doesn't have a scratch and of course the flange is present.

I'd love to know if anyone knows about this Will Morley or A. Svoboda. It's date doesn't seem to match the factory handover dates but who knows...the brass could have been sitting for a couple of years before the elements were made for it or maybe Jamin stayed on the scene longer than some people thought.

I don't currently have a camera that has a lensboard that will fit this lens (10" flange) so I might even decide to sell it later for a reasonable offer.

A lot of people know a lot more about this factory than me so I'd love to hear from them.

.....oh, and I can't get the lens on my Shen Hao lensboard....any suggestions

[Craig Tuffin]

...and a couple more...



...and one with the 'blad for the medium format fans

[eddie]

WOW! are you compensating for something craig? LOL!

nice lens. will it cover 5x7? does it swirl? can i get it on my kodak 2d? he he he....

[eddie]

The outer rear element was back-to-front and as a result has some scratches in the centre

lets see the scratches. this will give a better indication of what the value may be......

[Craig Tuffin]

OK Eddie...that was an effort trying to get the scratches clear. Ended up taking the element out of the lens and throwing it on a tupperware lid to add some contrast.

Anyway, here they are...

[Steven Tribe]

W. Morley is W. Morley. Later Morley & Cooper. Of Upper Street ISLINGTON (the word you couldn't make out!) London N.1.

Don't worry, they didn't make lenses/objectives. Agents for the big guys, like Ross. And like everyone else in London the late 50's they imported Objective francais.

The marks probably stem from a "clean-up" in the 19th C - perhaps they removed the Jarmin marks there first!

I reckon the 1869 you read is really 1859 - which matches the start of the name change. By 1869, everything was Darlot, I think!

[Steven Tribe]

So recapping. Brasswork engraving before Jamin died and optics "cleared/assembled" by a Mr. Svoboda before Darlot was brave enough to drop the "Jamin" name. Almost certainly from 1860.

The scratch pattern looks like recent use as a "door stop".

[goamules]

I'm sure other lens scholars will speak up, but there is a lot of interest when someone finds a date on early Jamins and Darlots because there is confusion about when the operation became solely Darlot. And because often the lens makers put "Jamin" on the glass, even after the company was Darlot. Finally, because there is no good serial number to date reference.

If serial number 2316 has glass that reads 1869, that would be unusual, like Steven says. It's a very early number, and 1869 is very late for anything to be engraved just Jamin in the brass. Interesting that both Jamin and Darlot are on the lens edge. Are you sure it's not 1859?

[77seriesiii]

There is always the possibility that the date on the lens indicates that a repair had to be made at a later date. So the lens was made in the early 1860s but then something happened in the late 1860s that merited a repair/replacement. It could happen. ;-)


erick

[Steven Tribe]

I see now that VM actually talks about a Jamin and Darlot objective mounted on a W.Morley camera from the 1860's.

There seem to be quite a lot of variation of the "Cone Centralisateur" design through the years. A group of about 5 various types were sold on auction within the last year. I'll try and find an image.