Scovill Mfg. Co.
American Optical Company
View Camera Boxes No Model Number (Order No.'s 21-28)
A
Descriptive Catalogue of the American Optical Co.'s Photographic
Apparatus (abridged), Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY), 1871, p.3
.Cat.1871-1000.jpg)
6 ½
x 8 ½" Folding Platform Camera. It has a stamp on its front
standard that reads: "Am. Optical Co. Manufacturer, New York". It
is missing its fine focus hardware (a slider and a screw).
Additionally, it appears that most of the back is not original.
Stamp on front standard: "Am. Optical Co. Manufacturer New
York", and another stamp, the stamped assembly number: "2"
Manufacturer:
American Optical Co. New York, NY factory
Date Introduced: c. 1860's ; Years Manufactured:
c.1860's -
c.1882
Construction: rear
focus via push-pull with fine focusing screw;
0/1/2 swing; non-reversing; three-piece lens board
Materials: hardwood or softwood? body and base;
black fabric bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: #21=4 ½x5 ½;
#22=6 ½x8 ½; #23=8x10;#24=10x12;
#25=11x14; #26=14x17;
#27=17x20; #28=20x24
Notes:
This model is one of four closely related view camera models manufactured by the American Optical Co. in the late 1860's through the early 1880's. The four models, the only field view cameras offered by American Optical at this time, were delineated using catalogs and other literature of the era, and the physical camera examples represented in this web site. The earliest example of a catalog containing these models found is from 1871, although it is likely that the models therein were made before that, probably even before Scovill purchased the American Optical Co. in 1867. Items 1), 2) and 3) below are American Optical's earlier (c.1871) View Camera Boxes in separated into their three levels of quality, and Item 4) is the American Optical Improved View Camera Boxes, a model including for the first time the innovation of tapering bellows, which allow the camera to be much more compactly folded.
Straight Bellows View Cameras:
In the 1871 catalog, the American Optical Co. offered three very closely related models of view cameras having straight bellows. Initially, they are referred to by their order numbers 1-7, 21-28 and 40-50, which specify not only the quality (smaller numbers indicating better quality), but the plate size as well.: The highest quality and most expensive model (order numbers 1-7) is furthermore referred to as the Number 1 or 1st Quality Model of View Camera Boxes. The lowest quality and least expensive model (40-50) is also referred to as the Number 2 or 2nd Quality Model of View Camera Boxes. The cameras designated as either 1st Quality or 2nd Quality usually are stamped as such on the camera platform (see example of 1st Quality stamp). However, there is also an intermediate quality and price model in 1871, which is not referred to by anything but the order numbers 21-28, a practice sure to drive camera technology historians such as me batty. In June 1873, the American Optical View Camera Boxes apparently superseded by the more compact, tapered bellows American Optical Improved or Compact View Camera Boxes - hence the name by which it eventually was called:: the Compact View Camera Boxes. The offer of the three related models is not seen in catalogs past c.1871, but offers of a single type of View Camera Boxes is seen as late as 1882, side by side with the Improved or Compact View Camera Boxes. It appears that after the Improved or Compact View Camera Boxes was invented, the line of View Camera Boxes was reduced to only the least expensive of them, that is, the former Model No. 2 or 2nd Quality View Camera Boxes, but it was now referred to by the simplified name: View Camera Boxes. This reduction to only one type of View Camera Boxes likely took place when the Improved or Compact View Camera Boxes was added to the catalogs, on the theory that if someone would pay more for hardwood and brass guides, it is likely they would pay more for the newer and more compact design as well. The order numbers of this later View Camera Boxes model were represented as 51-58, thoughtfully or presciently omitted from the earlier order numbers. Oddly enough, from the late 1870's, the numbers 51-58 are also used for other camera models, implying that they were now only short-hand for the sizes of any camera model, rather than representing both the model and size, as in 1871.
1. American Optical Model No. 1 or 1st Quality View Camera Boxes, Order No.'s 1-7 (the most expensive model of the 1871 catalog): The cameras used John Stock's patent Aug. 4, 1863, which is stamped into the brass hardware. It was made in either non-folding or folding platform, had patent brass guides along the rails of the platform, a fine focusing screw, and made in mahogany or walnut finely finished using the French Polish method. It could be made in either no swing, single swing or double swing, and had a vertical sliding front.
2. American Optical View Camera Boxes, Model Order No.'s 21-28: (the medium priced model of 1871) These had a folding platform, none, single or double swing, vertical sliding front, but not the patent brass guides and no mention of wood types, so probably made from a non-hardwood, although examples are found made of mahogany. But why is it offered at all, and not part of the "Quality" series of numbers? Perhaps, originally only Item 1 and Item 3 were offered, but Item 2 was added later when it was realized that there was a market for an inexpensive camera (no brass guides and no hardwood) that still had swing and vertical shift.
3. American Optical Model No. 2 or 2nd Quality View Camera Boxes, Order No.'s 40-50 & No. 130: (the least expensive model of 1871) These are described as "good, well made, true and reliable, not so highly finished as the No. 1 goods, and without the patent brass guides or hardwood construction. These had a folding platform, no swing, and no vertical sliding front. This could be the same camera as Item 2, but with no movements. Presumably, it would have been stamped 2nd Quality, but examples that appear to be this type are not so stamped.
Tapered Bellows View Camera:
4. American Optical Improved or Compact View Camera Boxes, were introduced in June 1873 in the 3rd volume of The Photographic Times. In the text of the article, we find out that the tapering bellows of this model are a novel feature - apparently, previous bellows of all their view cameras, even those with folding platforms, were straight. This model had an engraving, giving a more concrete idea of what the model looked like than a mere description.
Identification of the above camera
example:
The camera example illustrated above is
certainly manufactured by American Optical, as its barely legible stamp
on the front standard states.
It would appear to be an example of one of
American Optical's View Camera
Boxes that are described above.
It does not have brass guides and so can't be Item 1. It appears
to be made from mahogany, so unlikely to be the least expensive Item 3.
Therefore, the best guess is that it is Item 2:
American Optical View Camera
Boxes, Model No.'s 21-28.
References:
A Descriptive Catalogue of the American
Optical Co.'s Photographic Apparatus (abridged), Scovill Mfg. Co.
(New York, NY), 1871, p.3
Photographic Times Vol.
1, Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY),
1871, p. 15
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
Scovill Mfg. Co., distributed by Wilson, Hood & Co.
(Philadelphia, PA), 1873, p. 34-35
Asher & Adams Railroad Atlas, 1876
American Optical
catalog, 1878, p. 14-15
Illustrated Catalogue of General Photographic
Supplies, Thos. H. McCollin (Philadelphia,
PA), 1882, p. 11, 14
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