Vest Pocket Kodak Special- so pretty

[Heidi Rosser]

Well two interesting finds within the space of two weeks.
This one I got for a song.
Kodak Special 3A Autographic from around 1916. One of the first coupled rangefinder cameras. Looks like it was an expensive camera to buy in 1916 too at $109.00!

 

[IanG]

A 110 camera Very nice

What's the lens ? I have a 170mm f7.7 Kodak Anastigmat (a Dialyte) in a Velosto shutter, the registered trade name "Optima" was already in use by a UK camera manufacturer so the Wollensak shutters were re-named for the UK market. I'm fairly sure my lens is off a 3a.

Ian

 

[IanG]

Top price of an 3a Autographic Kodak, Special was with a 6¾" B&L Tessar was $77 in 1916.

Ian

 

[cgw]

I guess I think first of the tiny original WWI version whenever "VPK" comes up:

The Vest Pocket Kodak was the soldier’s camera

 

[Heidi Rosser]

Looks like it's a 170mm 6.3. Don't think it's a Tessar. Has Rochester Optical on the outer side.
Wow that was expensive in those days Ian!

 

[IanG]

It's not a Tessar as Bausch and Lomb were the only US company licensed to make Tessars and they weren't copied by other companies until after WW1 and the Patent had expired.

Kodak did sell the Autographic 3a Special with a Bausch & Lomb 6¾" f6.3 Tessar for $77, or a Bausch & Lomb Kodak Anastigmat 6¾" f6.5 for $66, and then your version with a Kodak Anastigmat 6¾" f6.3 for $55. All three lenses were in the Optimo shutter.

Rochester Optical had been taken over by Kodak in 1903 so would have made the Kodak Anastigmats unless marked otherwise.

Ian