E. & H. T. Anthony & Co., (New York, NY)
Anthony's Universal Finder - c. 1890's
Illustrated Catalogue of Photographic Equipments and
Materials for Amateurs, E. & H.T. Anthony &
Co. (New York, NY), February, 1898, p. 69
The Gennert "Accurate" Finder would appear to have been purchased (along with the engraving) from Anthony for resale
Anthony's
Universal Finder #1 (LP371) - horizontal only - found on an
American Optical Front Focus Flammang Revolving Back View Camera c.1890.
Anthony's
Universal Finder #2 (LP101) - able to be mounted vertically or horizontally.
This finder was not associated with a camera.
Anthony's
Universal Finder #3 (LP1004) - able to be mounted vertically or horizontally.
This finder was associated with a an
E. & H.T. Anthony Fairy Novelette
Camera, Variation 2.
Anthony's
Universal Finder #4 (LP1197) - able to be mounted vertically or horizontally.
This finder was not associated with a camera.
Anthony's
Universal Finder #5 (LP1218) - able to be mounted vertically or horizontally.
This finder was not associated with a camera.
Notes:
These above finders, while appearing to be the product in the Anthony catalog, are not exactly the same, in that the two screws that hold on the spring are horizontal in the catalog, but vertical on the actual pieces.
The five examples above are the same dimensions, and even have the same size and number (11) of box joint tabs (implying the use of the same or an identical jig to cut the joints), i.e., the appear in those aspects to have been made by the same manufacturer. But in other aspects, the two examples are not identical: 1) the tube and its substrate are made of wood in the top example, but made of brass in the lower examples; 2) the spring clip profile in the metal examples have a slight concave curve leading to the top screw, whereas that same part in the wooden example is straight. If I had to guess, I would say that the use of the same size jig to cut the box joints indicates that they were made by the same manufacturer, because jigs were generally custom made in that era. That manufacturer is surely E.&H.T. Anthony, since all examples are identical, and we can probably assume that the company that advertised this design of finder would have the lion's share of the market for them. As for the differences, the example with the wooden tube and straight trim profiles may have been an early version or batch. The wood may have been shown to be breakable in use, and so may have been replaced by brass in subsequent batches, in which the profiles were also subtly altered to be more aesthetically pleasing.
References:
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Equipments and Materials, E. &
H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), September 1886, p. 36
Illustrated Catalogue of Photographic Equipments
and Materials for Amateurs, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY),
January 1890, p.49
Photographic Materials Illustrated, John Wanamaker, Philadelphia,
PA, c.1890, p.14
Descriptive Catalogue and Price List of Photographic Apparatus,
E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), November 1893, p.26
The International Annual of Anthony's
Photographic Bulletin Vol. VII 1895,E.
& H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), 1894, ads p.
35
Descriptive Catalogue of Photographic Apparatus and Supplies, G.
Gennert (New York, NY), dated Jan. 1, 1895, p.30
The International Annual of Anthony's Photographic Bulletin Vol. VII
1896, edited by Frederick J. Harrison, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New
York, NY), 1896, p. a63
Illustrated Catalogue of Photographic Equipments and Materials for
Amateurs, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), February, 1898, p.
69
Illustrated Catalogue of Photographic Equipments
and Materials for Amateurs, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY),
November, 1898, p. 65
Illustrated Catalogue No. 18, L.M. Prince &
Bros. (Cincinnati, OH), c. 1899, p. 69
Photographic Goods 1842-1904, The Anthony and Scovill Co., (New
York, NY), 1904, Catalog E, p.42
