Date Introduced: April, 1882 ; Years Manufactured: 1882
Construction: rear focus via push-pull; no swing; reversing by rotating the bellows and rear standard
Materials: probably mahogany body, cherry base, brass hardware and black fabric bellows
Sizes Offered: up to 18x22"

Notes:

     The E. & H.T. Anthony Novel View was made in various forms from c.1882, when it was introduced, until at least 1897 (the latest professional Anthony catalog I have seen).  There are at least seven variations, including the Klauber Camera, most of these during the earliest years of its manufacture.  It is one of a group of models that used the Erastus B. Barker Mar. 28, 1882 patent #255,567 regarding changing the camera format by turning the standards while keeping the platform fixed.  The models are:  Novel View, Novelette View, the Fairy View, and the Phantom Camera.  The Novel View was the first model of these to be offered, and is generally more robust than the later models.  Specifically, the ground glass frame of a Novel camera is about 1" wide, whereas on the closely related mode, the Novelette, it is only about 1/2" wide.

The variations are:

Novel View Variation 1.0:  E.B. Barker's 1882 patent illustrated a camera that can be disassembled by unscrewing three thumbscrews, the front and back standards and the bellows rotated, and reassembled.  This variartion retains the same disassembly/reassembly features, but has been made lighter in weight by using a frame-type front standard and tapering bellows.  Cameras that are routinely disassembled to yield loose screws are not destined to stay in complete condition for long, and, if any of this variation of Novel View were ever sold, it probably was not many.  I have seen no extant examples. 

Novel View Variation 1.5:  This is the earliest variation of the Novel View of which I have seen an example - that after almost 40 years of looking.  It is the first appearance of a strip of metal running the full length of two sides of the rear standard that contains two key-like slots that can attach to two corresponding round screw heads on the movable base or platform.  In order to change format in this variation, the rear standard is moved to the side to disengage the key-like slots from the round screw heads on the movable base thereby freeing the rear standard from the platform; then the front of the bellows including the lens board is completely removede from the two tubular brass verticals of the front standard; then rotated, the front standard is re-installed onto the front standard verticals, and, finally, the rear standard is re-engaged to the platform using the alternate key-like holes.  One really has to see this performed.  It is an improvement upon Variation 1.0 in that no loose screws are involved, but is still rather cumbersome in that a large part of the camera comes loose in one's hands as the manoeuver is performed.  It has a hinged ground glass frame made from a thick, ogee-like molding; the ground glass is held in place by slim moldings anchored to the thick moldings with brads - a handsome if expensive back to make and install. This variation is extremely rare, being seen only once by me, and likely made for only a short time, e.g., one year or less.

Novel View Variation 1.8:  This is the second variation to feature a strip of metal running the full length of two sides of the rear standard that contains two key-like slots that can attach to two corresponding round screw heads on the movable base or platform.  So far, this is identical to Variation 1.5.  However, this variation has a bellows that is attached to a circular plate at the front that can spin 360° - the earliest this feature appears that will become standard in all Novel and Novelette-type cameras.  This is an improvement over removing the front of the camera that was necessary in Variation 1.5 to switch formats.  The hinged back is the handsome, molded type identical to that on Variation 1.5.  Variation 1.8 is as rare as Variation 1.5, having been seen only once by me, and was also likely made for only a short time, e.g., one year or less.

Novel View Variation 2.0:  Variation 1.5 and Variation 1.8 both utilize relatively slim metal inlays that extended the length of each side for strength, each engaging two screws.  Variation 2.0 changes that feature, and substitutes two heavy duty rectangles having a size that extends accross the width of each side (depends on size but less then 3 inches) by approximately 2 inches.  Each of the two rear standard sides to be involved in switching formats has two such plates and each plate has two key-shaped slots for a total of four slots and four screws securing the standard.  To emphasize the heavy duty nature of the Novel, each plate was pinned to the wood by as many as six wood screws.  To save expense, the plates were not inlaid into the wood, but applied to the surface.  The front standard with its revolving bellows attachment, remains the same as in Variation 1.8.  The hinged back is the handsome, molded type identical to that on Variation 1.5

Novel View Variation 2.1:  This Variation is similara to Variation 2.0, in that it has the two applied brass plates on each of two sides for switching format and a rotation system on the front standard.  It does, however have very heavy duty cast (not stamped) brass hardware that attaches the front standard to the platform.  Both examples of this variation observed are 11x14" size, and the heavy front hardware has never been seen on a Novel View less than the 11x14" in size.  The hardware is identical in shape (but smaller) to that used for the 14x17" Novel Combination View (The Klauber View).  This adaptation to more robust hardware is no doubt a result of stamped brass being too weak to support the larger sizes of Novel cameras, and such close but stronger versions of the rest of the variations listed here may exist, were large examples of them ever be found.  The back of this variation is not hinged, but removes entirely when a plate holder is installed - probably due to the inability of hinges to adequately support the weight of a back this large.  The back also has a new and fancy profile, having the look of two nested frames; this might also be designed to increase strength without increasing weight, similar to a tubular structure being stronger than a solid structure of the same size.

Novel View Variation 3.0:  In this variation, the fancier and labor-intensive back seen in Variation 2.0 and earlier has been replaced with a very plain and utilitarian-looking ground glass frame, in which the ground glass is held by four pieces of sheet brass screwed in at the corners.  Otherwise, the model remains unchanged.

Novel View Combination (The Klauber View):  This camera is called Combination because it can be a camera for views (outside views, that is), and also a camera for portraits (more like a stucio camera).  It was only offered in size 14x17".  When set up for views, the camera is identical to Novel View Variation 2.1, the large size version of Variation 2.0 (which is why it is included here amongst the Novel View variations).  When set up for portraits, the rear of the view bellows is clipped onto a sliding intermediate base, which has been placed in front of the tilting view base.  It appears from the engraving that a second bellows (this one non-tapered) having another a slim support standard and a rear standard (making four standards altogether) is installed at the rear of the view (2nd standard) and its rear standard key slots clipped onto the tilting, former view base, to make the new rear (4th) standard.  I have not seen an example of the entire system, although the Klauber link shows a 14x17 view that could represent the Klauber View Camera Setup.   

References:
Anthony's Photographic Bulletin, Vol. 13, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), April, 1882, p. 160