Vintage camera identification!

rgledhill · Dec 22, 2011

Hi everyone!

While looking through stuff in my garage, it appears that a box of my old landlord's stuff accidentally got shipped back to the UK from Germany when I moved back here. In one box (aside from some old coffee pots!) was this remarkable-looking camera. I wonder if anyone can help me identify it and tell me more about it?

It says on the lens: Doppel-Anastigmat..Eikonar"1:6.3.f-3.0cm No110033 G.Rodenstock Munchen

No other identifying marks anywhere, that I can see.

I've tried to upload pictures but it doesn't seem to want to let me!

Thanks!
Richard

Big Mike · Dec 22, 2011

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...forum-functions-pictoral-guide-using-tpf.html

rgledhill · Dec 22, 2011

Thanks Big Mike, very helpful! I was just about to look around for a sticky thread about it but you beat me to it

I've posted 5 pictures of the camera in the main Users section, as I couldn't find anywhere else more suitable...

Big Mike · Dec 22, 2011

Grab the url from there, and post it into a thread (this one) using tags

rgledhill · Dec 22, 2011

Thanks for the tip!

Big Mike · Dec 22, 2011

I'm no expert on old cameras, but it looks like a 'home made' camera (likely large format), with that particular lens mounted onto it.

dxqcanada · Dec 22, 2011

Wet plate ?

Reisekamera - Camera-wiki.org - The free camera encyclopedia

unpopular · Dec 22, 2011

Whatever it is, you have a fantastic lens on it.

tirediron · Dec 22, 2011

That looks like a pretty standard (albeit very nice) folding field camera from the later 19th or early 20th century. I don't believe that it is home-made. The lens looks more modern. It's a large-format camera for sure, but without a sense of scale, I can only guess at 5x7.

Edited to add: The lens s/n appears to date it to about 1915.

Edited to add again: A second look at the photos, using the baseboard as a VERY rough guide to scale, I think it might actually be an 8x10. What are the dimensions of the area where the film-holder would be (The area inside at the back where the bellows end)?

rgledhill · Dec 22, 2011

Thank you everyone - it does indeed appear to be a Reisekamera! The owner lives in Nuremburg but also lived in Munich and is around 80 now, and very well-off, so this would all fit. It looks beautifully made so I don't think it's homemade either, with flush finish to all the brass fittings and a very solid movement.

The glass panel holder in the back is 9" by 11", with the glass panel itself a bit below 8x10.

Is there anywhere hidden I should look for a manufacturer?

This is very interesting, thank you all!
Richard

dxqcanada · Dec 22, 2011

Maybe there are markings inside the camera body identifying the maker.

ICP · Apr 13, 2012

Hi,
My name is Isaac and I have a few cameras that I received from an older guy that has passed. These cameras are old and very cool. One is a sankyo. And there are 3 other ones that I dont know what they are. If you could tell me what year they are, their name, and possibly value that would be great! More pics if needed.file://localhost/Users/kimpatry/Desktop/IMG_1327.jpgfile://localhost/Users/kimpatry/Desktop/IMG_1328.jpg

ICP · Apr 13, 2012

Hi,<br>   My name is Isaac and I have a few cameras that I received from an older guy that has passed. These cameras are old and very cool. One is a sankyo. And there are 3 other ones that I dont know what they are. If you could tell me what year they are, their name, and possibly value that would be great! More pics if needed.file://localhost/Users/kimpatry/Desktop/IMG_1327.jpgfile://localhost/Users/kimpatry/Desktop/IMG_1328.jpg