Flammang's Patent Revolving Back Camera, Back Focus Variation 2

American Optical Company

Scovill Mfg. Co., Proprietors

Flammang's Patent Revolving Back Camera Back Focus Variation 2

(push-pull focus, swing hinged at the center of the rear standard, and lacquer-coated brass hardware)

Most engravings of Back Focus Flammang's Revolving Back Cameras show a swing that is hinged at the bottom of the rear standard. This engraving, which can be found on the back cover of the 1891 James W. Queen (Philadelphia, PA catalog shows a Flammang's Revolving Back Camera Back Focus that has its swing in the center of the rear standard. The engraving was also shows a custom back made to accommodate an Eastman-Walker Roll Film Holder Variation 1.

5 x 7" example of Variation 2 - center-hinged swing instead of bottom-hinged swing, as in Variation 1

Label on front standard: "American Optical Comp'y, New York Scovill Mfg. Co., Prop'trs"

Stamp on the revolving part of the back: "Flammang Pat. Aug. 21, '88 No. 283,589" (one of two Flammang patent markings on this camera).

Stamp on the side rail of the bed: "Flammang's Pat. Oct. 20, 1885" (The second of two Flammang patent markings on this camera).

8 x 10", another center swing version.

From right-rear, ground glass frame rotated to the horizontal position. Note the small latch at the upper right side of the ground glass frame that keeps it locked in when being rotated.

Same photo angle, but with the ground glass frame rotated about 45º.

Label, metal, on the top front of the front standard: "American Optical Comp'y, New York, Scovill Mfg. Co., Prop't'rs".
Note the three screw heads visible from the upper lens board retaining strip: each slot is horizontal and the screw head have been filed down even with the level of the brass strip. This is typical of American Optical craftsmanship.

Stamp on the rear of the platform/frame: "Scovill Manufacturing Co., New York".

Stamp on the rotating part of the back; it is at the top when the ground glass frame position is such that it slides out to the right. The stamp reads: "Flammang's Pat. Aug. 21, '83 No. 283,589".
Note that here, too, the screw slots have all been aligned and filed down flat. In the case of the strip that retains the ground glass frame (bottom of photo), the screw slots are all horizontal. In the case of the circular brass wear plate for the revolving back (upper part of photograph), the screw slots have been aligned to follow the curve of the brass strip.
aoflammangsback8x10e192.jpg (19077 bytes)

Manufacturer: American Optical Co. New York, NY factory
Date Introduced: - ; Years Manufactured: c.1883-c.1896
Construction: rear focus via push-pull; single or double swing; reversing by revolving back (the Flammang patent); three-piece lens board
Materials: mahogany body; mahogany base; black fabric bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: #550A=4x5; #551=4¼x5½; #551AB=4¼x6½; #551A=5x7; #551B=5x8; #552=6½x8½; #553=8x10; #554=10x12; #555=11x14; #556=14x17; #557=17x20; #558=20x24; #559=25x30 (1889 #'s 120-132)
Notes:

Scovill / American Optical made a number of of cone or tapered bellows cameras. The following is an excerpt from American Optical/Scovill Back Focus Tapering Bellows Field View Cameras - Chronology and Design detailing the history of Scovill/American Optical camera models of this basic type.

Flammang's Revolving Back View Camera Back Focus Model - Variations:

The revolving back was patented by Mathias Flammang 21 Aug. 1883 (US 283,589), one of many patents granted to Flammang while working for Scovill Mfg. Co. The revolving back could be had either on a back focus or front focus design. It is one of the longest lived Scovill designs, being introduced in 1883 (The Photographic Times and American Photographer, Vol. XIII, No. 149, Scovill Mfg. Co., May 1883, p. 205 ), and carried in catalogs and other advertising literature until approximately 1898.

There are currently at least five variations of Flammang's Revolving Back View Camera Back Focus model, and one counterfeit copy. The differences between the variations are due to 1) push-pull or rack and pinion focus, 2) whether the vertical (forward-back) swing is hinged at the bottom or at the middle of the rear standard, and 3) lacquered brass or nickel-plated brass hardware:

Flammang's Revolving-Back View Camera Back Focus Variation 1.0: 1) push-pull focus having a lever in the rear to secure it, 2) vertical swing hinged at the bottom of the rear standard (as in catalog engravings) and 3) lacquered, draw-filed brass hardware. This is the camera configuration as depicted in the engravings in American Optical/Scovill catalogs and other advertisements.

Flammang's Revolving-Back View Camera Back Focus Variation 1.5: same as Variation 1.0, except that it has rack and pinion focus rather than push-pull focus. Thie example of this Variation also has its label altered to indicate that it was made for W.H. Walmsley & Co. instead of the usual American Optical and Scovill Mfg. Co. label. Additional examples will have to be seen of this variation to know whether the configuration was specified by Walmsley, or whether the variation was already being offered by American Optical.

Flammang's Revolving-Back View Camera Back Focus Variation 2.0: 1) push-pull focus having a lever in the rear to secure it, 2) vertical swing hinged in the middle of the rear standard, and 3) lacquered, draw-filed brass hardware.

Flammang's Revolving-Back View Camera Back Focus Variation 2.1: same as Variation 2.0 (push-pull focus, swing hinged in the middle), except having a device at the rear standard that, when pushed, allows horizontal swing. The example is also later than the Variation 2 examples, in that it was made when American Optical was owned by The Scovill & Adams Co. (after 1889)

Flammang's Revolving-Back View Camera Back Focus Variation 2.2: same as Variation 2.0 (push-pull focus, swing hinged in the middle), except for 3) nickel-plated, polished brass hardware.

Flammang's Revolving-Back View Camera Back Focus Variation 3.0: 1) rack and pinion focus, 2) vertical swing hinged in the middle, and 3) lacquered, draw-filed brass hardware.

Another camera of interest to Flammang's Revolving Back Camera design:
Counterfeit Flammang's Revolving-Back View Camera Back Focus Variation 3.0: a camera which superficially looks like the genuine American Optical Flammang's Revolving Back View Camera Back Focus Variation 3.0, but, in detail, can be seen to have almost every detail and measurement slightly different than a genuine Variation 3.0.

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