American Optical Company
Scovill Mfg. Co., Prop'rs
New
View Camera Box
Improved
View Camera Box
New Haven Compact View Camera
Photographic Times, Vol. 3,
No.30, June, 1873, p.83, Introduction of the American Optical New View
Camera Box.
Descriptive Catalogue and Price List of the
Photographic Apparatus Manufactured by the American Optical Co.,
Scovill Mfg. Co., proprietors and managers (New York, NY), Sept. 1884,
p.75
4 ½x5 ½"
wet-plate, double swing
Label, Top of Front Standard: "American Optical Comp'y New York,
Scovill Mfg. Co., Prop'trs"
Stamps on Platform Rails: 1) "John Stock's Patented Aug. 4, 1863", and
2) "Assigned to Am. Optical Co." Manufacturer:
American Optical Co. New York, NY factory or Scovill
(Peck) factory, New Haven, CT The camera example shown above represents a
combination of features shown in the two engravings (in that it has a
solid base, like the upper engraving, and a rack and pinion horizontal
swing located on the edge of the rear standard, like the lower
engraving). The camera has brass guides that are stamped "JOHN
STOCK'S PATENTED AUG. 4, 1863 ASSIGNED TO AM. OPTICAL Co."
That patent substantially describes the layout of this camera.
John Stock was bought out by American Optical in 1866. That the
brass is stamped with a John Stock reference probably means that the
camera dates more towards 1873 than to 1882. Except for its
wood-filled platform, it appears to be exactly as depicted for the
New Haven Compact View Camera in
the 1884 American Optical catalog, page 75. Who Made It? The engraving and
description of the New Haven Compact View in the 1884 catalog occurs in
a section of the catalog prefaced by the title: "Scovill New Haven
Factory". One would think, especially since it has the phrase "New
Haven" in its name, that it was made in Scovill's New Haven, CT factory
(formerly the Samuel Peck & Co. factory) rather than the American
Optical factory in New York City, NY. However, one cannot miss the
large silver or nickel-plated label on the front of the camera that
proclaims it to be an American Optical Co. product. And it is not
an isolated instance, in that the
New Haven Reversible Back View Camera, essentially this design
but with non-tapering bellows, presents an identical quandry - a camera
nearly identical to a Scovill camera engraving yet bearing an American
Optical label.
References:
Back to American Optical
Co. / Scovill Mfg. Co. (alphabetical)
This is a single swing version. See a double swing engraving
below.
This is a double
swing version (like the camera example below), having horizontal swing
hardware on the right edge of the rear standard.
The below example was
originally the 4 ½x5 ½" format that is virtually unknown after about 1880, but it's original ground glass back was
subsequently cleverly altered to have a spring-loaded 4x5 back.
Date Introduced: June, 1873 ; Years
Manufactured: 1873-c.1884
Construction: rear
focus via push-pull with fine focusing screw;
single or double swing;
square plate holder allows reversing by
placement of plate either horizontally or vertically; three-piece
lens board; brass track guides
Materials: mahogany body; cherry base;
black fabric bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: 4 ½x5 ½; 6 ½x8 ½;
8x10;10x12; 11x14; 14x17; 17x20; 20x24
Notes:
Photographic Times 3, Scovill Mfg. Co. (New
York, NY), June, 1873, p. 83 (referred to as the new or improved
view camera boxes)
Descriptive Catalogue and Price List of the Photographic Apparatus
Manufactured by the American Optical Co., Scovill Mfg. Co.,
proprietors and managers (New York, NY), Sept. 1884, p.75
