E. & H.T. Anthony & Co.

Amateur Equipment  or Outfit (#'s 1-8B), Variation 2.0
 (Folding Platform, Front Platform Screw)

 

 

Anthony catalog, 1887, pp. 4-10
The front thumbscrew extends all the way back to the rear platform to make it rigid with the main platform.
The engraving shows the thumbscrew on the left side (facing the front), while the example below shows the hole for its missing thumbscrew on the right side.
This engraving is used in every catalog to illustrate Equipment No. 4, even though, at some point, Anthony started making No. 4s with short rear thumbscrews (Variation 2.2), a less expensive way to secure the folding platform.

Anthony's Amateur Equipment No. 4; 4x5, mahogany, folding bed, rise but no swing, Camera No. 4 on all three tables below (1882-1889).

 

Date Introduced: - ; Years Manufactured: c. 1887 - c. 1889
Construction: rear focus via push-pull; optional swing; reverse by two tripod mounts; 3-piece lens board
Materials: optional body; cherry base track; black fabric bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: (A=No Swing; B=Single Swing=N.P.A; #1/1A=4x5; #1½/1½B=4¼x6½; #2/2B=5x8; #4=vertical 4x5 (photos above); #6=#5 w/ lens; #7B=6½x8½; #8B=8x10
Notes:

     From available catalogs, the camera known as Anthony's Amateur Equipment varied in design not only over time, but by Anthony's model number.  Depending upon the model number, the camera would be made of different wood, would be painted or varnished, have a folding or non-folding bed, or have other features.  The tables below detail the exact configuration according to catalogs.  As a useful, easy to remember distinction, Anthony's Amateur Equipment has been split into three variations: Variation 1.0 includes cameras having non-folding beds, Variation 2.0 includes cameras having folding beds made rigid via a long thumbscrew from the front of the camera, and Variation 2.2 includes cameras having folding beds made rigid via a short thumbscrew from the back of the camera.

Amateur Equipment (#s 1-8)  - June 1882
     Anthony's Amateur Equipment c.1882 was a simple camera, offered in a limited variety.  At this time, Amateur Equipment was the only model in the catalog, and the name represents an almost bewildering number of variations, best represented in chart form:

Anthony's Amateur Equipment (#1-8) - c.1882
Number	Ground Glass Size	Wood	Lens Type	Mono Lens Board and Lens	Stereo Lens Board and Two Lenses	Finish	Bed Type	Rising Front	Focusing Screw	Swing
1	5x51	Plain (Basswood or Similar)	Single Achromat	No (The Lens is installed directly into camera body)	No	Ebonized (Black Paint)	Non-Folding	No	No	No
1 No. 1 and No. 4 have a square bellows and back, allowing the plate holder to be positioned for horizontal or vertical format, without the necessity of moving the camera
1½	4¼x6½	Plain	Single Achromat	No (The Lens is installed directly into camera body)	No	Ebonized	Non-Folding	No	No	No
2	5x8	Plain	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Ebonized	Non-Folding	No	No	No
3	5x82	Plain	Single Achromat	Yes	Yes	Ebonized	Non-Folding	No	No	No
2 No. 3 is the same as No. 2 with the addition of a second lens board having two lenses for stereo photographs, and a stereo septum to separate the photos inside the bellows
4	5x51	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding, with Long Screw from the Front to Make the Bed Rigid, or Short Screw from the Rear	Yes	Yes	No
5	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat	No, But Extra Lens Board	Yes	Varnish	Folding	Yes	Yes	No
6	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat with Push-Pull Focus	Yes	Yes	Varnish	Folding	Yes	Yes	No
7	6½x8½	Plain	Single Achromat with Rack and Pinon Focus	Yes	No	Ebonized	Folding	No	Yes	No
8	8x10	Plain	Single Achromat with Rack and Pinon Focus	Yes	No	Ebonized	Folding	No	Yes	No

Amateur Equipment (#s 1-8) - May 1885 - September 1886
     By the May 1885 Anthony Catalog, other field camera models had been introduced, namely The Patent Bijou Camera, The Novel View Camera, and the Model Stereo Box.  The Amateur Equipment was still listed, as follows throughout 1886.  Changes from 1882 are marked in light blue:

Anthony's Amateur Equipment (#1-8) - c.1885
Number	Ground Glass Size	Wood	Type of Lens(es)	Mono Lens Board and Lens	Stereo Lens Board and Two Lenses	Finish	Bed Type	Rising Front	Focusing Screw	Swing Back
1	5x51	Plain (Basswood or Similar)	Single Achromat	No (The Lens is installed directly into camera body)	No	Stain & Varnish	Non-Folding	No	No	No
1 No. 1 and No. 4 have a square bellows and back, allowing the plate holder to be positioned for horizontal or vertical format, without the necessity of moving the camera
1½	4¼x6½	Plain	Single Achromat	No (The Lens is installed directly into camera body)	No	Stain & Varnish	Non-Folding	No	No	No
2	5x8	Plain	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Stain & Varnish	Non-Folding	No	No	No
2A (New Number)	5x8	Plain	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Stain & Varnish	Folding w/ Patent Hooks	No	No	No
2B (New Number)	5x8	Plain	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Stain & Varnish	Folding w/ Patent Hooks	Yes	No	Yes
3	5x82	Plain	Single Achromat	Yes	Yes	Stain & Varnish	Non-Folding	No	No	No
2 No. 3 is the same as No. 2 with the addition of a second lens board having two lenses for stereo photographs, and a stereo septum to separate the photos inside the bellows
4	5x51	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding, with Long Screw from the Front to Make the Bed Rigid, or Short Screw from the Rear	Yes	Yes	No
5	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat	No, But Extra Lens Board	Yes	Varnish	Folding	Yes	Yes	No
6	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat with Push-Pull Focus	Yes	Yes	Varnish	Folding	Yes	Yes	No
7	6½x8½	Cherry	Single Achromat with Rack and Pinon Focus	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding	No	Yes	No
8	8x10	Cherry	Single Achromat with Rack and Pinon Focus	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding	No	Yes	No

Amateur Equipment (#s 1-8) Variation 2 - August 1887 - January 1889
     By the August 1887 Anthony Catalog, even more field camera models had been introduced than were offered in 1885-1886. But the Amateur Equipment was still listed, but, again, expanded to cover even more options, including more "B" versions.  All cameras are now mahogany, only the No. 4 retains a focus screw, and the name The N.P.A. Camera is introduced to refer to a camera having folding bed (with Patent Hooks), a rising front and swing movement.  Changes from 1885 are marked in light blue:

Anthony's Amateur Equipment (#1-8) - c.1885
Number	Ground Glass Size	Wood	Type of Lens(es)	Mono Lens Board and Lens	Stereo Lens Board and Two Lenses	Finish	Bed Type	Rising Front	Focusing Screw	Swing Back
1	4x5 horizontal	Mahogany	Single Achromat	No (The Lens is installed directly into camera body)	No	Varnish	Non-Folding	No	No	No
1B (New Number, and Also Called The N.P.A. Camera)	4x5 horizontal	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding	Yes	No	Yes
1½	4¼x6½	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Varnish	Non-Folding	No	No	No
1½B (New Number)	4¼x6½	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding	Yes	No	Yes
2	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Varnish	Non-Folding	No	No	No
2A	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding w/ Patent Hooks	No	No	No
2B (Also Called The N.P.A. Camera)	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat with Instantaneous (Drop) Shutter	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding w/ Patent Hooks	Yes	No	Yes
3	5x82	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	Yes	Varnish	Non-Folding	No	No	No
2 No. 3 is the same as No. 2 with the addition of a second lens board having two lenses for stereo photographs, and a stereo septum to separate the photos inside the bellows
4	5x51	Mahogany	Single Achromat	Yes	No	Varnish	Folding, with Long Screw from the Front to Make the Bed Rigid, or Short Screw from the Rear	Yes	Yes	No
1 No. 4 has a square bellows and back, allowing the plate holder to be positioned for horizontal or vertical format, without the necessity of moving the camera
5 (Also Called The N.P.A. Camera)	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat	No (No More Extra Lens Board)	Yes	French Polish	Folding w/ Patent Hooks	Yes	No	Yes
6	5x8	Mahogany	Single Achromat with Push-Pull Focus	Yes	Yes	French Polish	Folding w/ Patent Hooks	Yes	No	Yes
7B (Replaces No. 7, and Also Called The N.P.A. Camera)	6½x8½	Mahogany	Single Achromat with Rack and Pinon Focus	Yes	No	French Polish	Folding w/ Patent Hooks	Yes	No	Yes
8B (Replaces No. 8, and Also Called The N.P.A. Camera)	8x10	Mahogany	Single Achromat with Rack and Pinon Focus	Yes	No	French Polish	Folding w/ Patent Hooks	Yes	No	Yes

 

     By 1889, the designation Amateur Equipment was dropped, and the No. 1, No. 1½, No. 2 and No. 3 became the Manhattan Camera, in cherry wood and later mahogany.

     Compare the numbers 1-8 with American Optical's Dry Plate Outfits #1-8 - each number refers to the same size plate regardless of manufacturer.

     An "Equipment" usually refers to just the camera, while an "Outfit" would include a lens, wooden case, tripod, and possibly a dark cloth.

     This model may be distinguished from the Champion model by its construction.  Note that, in the Amateur Equipment Cameras, both the front and rear standards have a solid block of wood underlying the box-jointed part.  The Champion and later NPA models  are  made with the box-jointed part placed directly on and overlapping the bed, a neater but perhaps trickier construction.  Rival Scovill's cheap model Ne Plus Ultra also had the solid block underlayment type of construction.

References:
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Photographic Equipments & Materials, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY),  September 1886, pp. 5-11
Anthony's Photographic Bulletin, Vol. 17, No. 18, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co., (New York, NY), September 25, 1886, p. 12
Walzl's Photographic Journal and the Photographer's Friend, Richard Walzl, pub. (Baltimore, MD) undated c.1886, pp. 33-34
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Photographic Equipments & Materials, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY),  August 1887, pp. 4-10
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Photographic Equipments & Materials, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), January 1888, pp. 4-10
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Photographic Equipments & Materials, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), January 1889, pp. 4-10

 

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