Schultze Photo Equipment Co., New York, NY
Improved Champion View Camera
4 x 5"
Lens board is not original. The wooden carrying case is also not
original, being manufactured by Rochester Optical Co.
Bottom
Top
Label - Upper Front Standard
Top of photo: Assembly Number
"11" Stamped into the Bottom Surface of the Hinged Rear Platform Segment
Bottom of photo: The Schultze Mechanism to Make the Platform Flat and
Rigid: The metal strip is installed on the main platform so that its
holes fit over the screw heads on the hinged rear platform; when
engaged, the strip is pushed left to lock.
4 ½ x 6 ½";
with Darlot Hemispherique Rapide lens and fitted drop shutter, a plate
holder, and wooden case Label - Front Standard Assembly Number - Top of
Ground Glass Frame 6 ½ x 8 ½" Date Introduced: - ;
Years Manufactured: c. 1890-1892 Schultze sometimes
purchased cameras from other manufacturers, e.g.,
E. &
H.T. Anthony NPA. Schultze also advertised
some Scovill camera models
in its catalogs (see references below).
The lifetime of the Schultze company appears to be
rather short. Their earliest advertisement appears to be in 1887
and their latest in 1892. But Schultze also
produced (or had made for it) at least two cameras
having its own unique details of construction, and this is one of them.
While similar in size and function to
the Scovill Waterbury and other simple
tailboard cameras of the era, the
Schultze
Champion Improved is unique in detail:
the ground glass hinges upwards rather than downwards,
and the plate holder has two kerf cuts
lengthwise, which slide over splines attached to the camera back.
Only the improved version has been so far found in advertising; the
unimproved version has not been identified, but is probably one of the
Schultze unique variations, here called, for lack of its proper name,
Schultze Early View Camera, and the
Schultze Champion? View Camera. The most probable
precursor of the Champion Improved is the
Schultze Champion?, which is very similar to the
E. & H.T. Anthony Champion Variation 1B. From the catalogs below are the following outfits,
including camera, lens, tripod, case, paper, trays, mounts, etc.: Note that No. 7 includes a Cone Extension,
perhaps similar to the
Blair
Patent Extension. References:
Back to Miscellaneous Camera Companies
Construction: back focus
via push-pull; single swing; reversing by means of a second
tripod mount; three-piece lens board
Materials: mahogany wood body; cherry base;
black fabric bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: 1=4x5,
4 ½x6 ½, 5x8, 6 ½x8 ½,
8x10, 10x12
Notes:
No. 1 = two carte de visite (2⅛x3 ½)
photos on one 4x5 plate
No. 2 = 4x5 for 4x5 photos
No. 3 = 4 ½x6 ½ for cabinet
(4 ½x6 ½) and carte de visite photos
No. 4 = 5x8 for 5x8 or two 4x5 photos
No. 5 = 5x8 for 5x8, 4x5, and 5x8 stereoscopic photos
(including two matched lenses)
No. 6 = 6 ½x8 ½
for 6 ½x8 ½, 5x8,
4x5, cabinet and carte de visite photos
No. 7 = same as No. 6 but including a Cone Extension
for copying and enlarging
No. 8 = 8x10 for 8x10, 6 ½x8 ½,
5x8, 4x5, cabinet and carte de visite photos
Amateur Photographic Equipments, Schultze Photo Equipment Co.
(New York, NY), c. 1890, p. 19-34
Amateur Photographic Equipments, Schultze Photo Equipment Co.
(New York, NY), 1892, p. 19-34
