Identification - Thornton Pickard?

[Heidi Rosser]

Picked up this wee camera a couple of weeks ago -was sold as unnamed. It is in reasonable condtion and has some nice maroon bellows.
Looking at it, it has some similarities to a Thornton Pickard but I am unsure.
It could just be an unnamed. The sellers mark is K.F Hurman & Co, Newcastle-On-Tyne. It also has a stamp on the wood at the front that could be TP, IP or IF.
I have a TP shutter that I will attach and will dig out a lens that I think could fit.

 

[IanG]

F.K. Hurman was a photographic wholesaler in Newcastle, Birmingham & Dublin from 1896 until taken over by Kodak in 1904. They'd taken over Marlow Bros a Birmingham camera manufacturer in 1901 but this doesn't look like one of their cameras.

It's definitely not made by Thornton Pickard, TP cameras have quite unique brass work. The lettering is part coding for manufacture and quite typical.

Ian

 

[Heidi Rosser]

Mmmm I wonder what it is then. May have to do more research. Weird how it has the label.

 

[vintagesnaps]

Nice find. Seems like early cameras often didn't have much in the way of markings. Looks like LF to me. I don't know if you're familiar with this site, I've looked at it from time to time.

Early Cameras and Equipment from the Daguerreotype and Wet-Plate era - Antique and Vintage Cameras

 

[Heidi Rosser]

Oh that looks interesting not seen that one before. There is just so much on google you almost get lost.
It’s funny when I started collecting it was all very simple stuff, now it’s getting more and more unusual. I have also developed the sad spot a camera at 50 paces when I go to the markets.

 

[IanG]

Hurman sold re-badged camera at a time when there where also companies selling kits allowing retailers and even wholesalers to sell cameras under their own name, and these kits could be sold as parts or pre-assembled. Lonsdale of Leeds where a major player in this market but there were others.

It's not unusual to not be able to identify the manufacturer with some wood and brass cameras, and often there's tell tale design flaws which indicate not from a major manufacturer.

The site Sharon mentions is excellent and I'm in contact with Rob the owner every now and again but its examples are the tip of the iceberg

Ian

 

[vintagesnaps]

Tell Rob what a good site it is!