A rescue

[Dany]

I decided to smoke my last cigarette 35 years ago.
So when, recently, I could buy this camera for the price of two packs of cigarettes, I did not hesitate.
A low cost easily understandable if you look at the pitiful aspect of the item.

After some cleaning and paint works.....here it is !

It is a "Jumelle" type stereo camera manufactured in France by Gallus circa 1920.
The body is painted aluminum alloy The camera was loaded with 6x13 cm plates
The shutter does not need any prior cocking to fire. And after a century, it still does it perfectly!
As a bonus, the front part of the camera, which houses the shutter system may be easily removed and the rest of the body that contains the lenses could then be used as a stereo viewer .

Astute isn't it ?

 

[Dean_Gretsch]

First, congrats on still not smoking. As a former one myself, I know how hard that is. I think you've found an interesting piece there. Does anyone still produce and sell the plates needed?

 

[Dany]

It has been so hard to stop that i promised myself to never resume.
Today, I am not aware of any possible buying of ready to use 6x 13 cm stereo plates. I heard that some few fans are making them but I suppose this is a difficult and expansive operation.
As far as I know, a possible solution would be the use of 13x18 cm film sheets and to cut each of them to obtain three 6x13 sheets.

 

[Dave442]

Hope you can make some images with that stereo camera. Great job on cleaning it up.

 

[vintagesnaps]

That is too cool. You find the best stuff!! I love seeing it.

Curious what kind of paint do you use?

 

[webestang64]

Very nice save.

Congrats on your non smoking. I was lucky in that I never got the craving to have a smoke. Back in the 80's I'd buy a pack of smokes and that pack would last me a month. I figured why buy these, they go to waste.

 

[dxqcanada]

Great clean and paint job ... and smokes aren't cheap no more.

 

[Dany]

For this kind of paint work. A complete removing of the flaking old paint is necessary to obtain bare metal surfaces.
Then, metal is degreased and parts not to be painted are covered with adhesive tape (e.g. viewfinder)
The choice of the paint finish has some importance. I looked at similar camera on the web and could see that paint finish on the body was satiny and paint on the front part was glossy.
I use paint on spray normally used for cars
Glossy paint touch up on the front part has been performed using a small brush.