The Giant Argus C3

[compur]

Some years ago I was shopping at a flea market here in Southern California and came upon a fellow unloading a truck with lots of old camera gear. He said he'd cleaned out the garage of a camera repair technician who had passed away and this is what was in there. Most of the stuff was in pretty scruffy condition but a few things caught my eye.

One of them was The Giant Argus C3 which you can see at this link:

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac253/graflok/c3_zpsdojnjcd3.jpg

It isn't a working camera but a wooden mockup intended for dealer display but it was manufactured at the Argus factory where all the other Argus camera were made.

I hadn't heard of it before that day I bought it but I figured it was some kind of retail display item. Anyway, I put the thing on eBay shortly after I bought it as an auction which was won by the curator of the Argus Museum in Michigan where it has been on display ever since as far as I know.

It's also visible in this video of the museum at about the 2 minute mark:



Just thought you might be interested.

 

[webestang64]

Very cool display piece. I have a few "large" mock up cameras in my collection. Love that it went to a museum.

 

[limr]

Cool. Even more brick-like

 

[dxqcanada]

That's one ugly giant !!

 

[Derrel]

Ohhhhhhhhhh...I had a C-3 when I was a boy....my current one is a new/old one in MINTY shape with a nice everready case!!! My current C-3 is about a 1958 version as far as my research reveals.

Long Live The BRICK!!!!

 

[otherprof]

Ohhhhhhhhhh...I had a C-3 when I was a boy....my current one is a new/old one in MINTY shape with a nice everready case!!! My current C-3 is about a 1958 version as far as my research reveals.

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Long Live The BRICK!!!!

Great set! The last one could put them back in business.

 

[Gary A.]

@compur: Too bad you didn't donate it to the museum, then you could have had a nice bronze plate with you name on it next to the giant.

@is Darrel: That is in great shape. Your images make me want to grab my C3. Good stuff.

 

[compur]

@compur: Too bad you didn't donate it to the museum, then you could have had a nice bronze plate with you name on it next to the giant.

When they received it they asked for the details on how I found it, etc. so I wrote up the story and they were very pleased and said they would include my name and write up with the display.

At the same time and place I found this item I also found a 16mm B&H movie camera with director Frank Capra's name engraved on it !!! I also listed that as an auction item on eBay and it was won by Peter Ford, son of actor Glenn Ford who called me and told me it was going on display in his father's house in Beverly Hills as Glenn was a close friend of Capra and had lots of Hollywood memorabilia on display in his huge house.