The Scovill & Adams Co., (New York, NY)
Waterbury Detective Camera Original Model - c.1888-c.1889
Top (left) and Bottom (right)
Patent Stamp on Bottom: "Pat. Oct. 6, 1888"
Notice Inside of Front
Notes:
The Scovill & Adams Waterbury Detective Camera and the Scovill and Adams Triad Detective Camera were almost identical in appearance and function.
This is the first or original model of the Waterbury Detective Camera. The Improved Waterbury Detective Camera had enough room inside to install an Eastman-Walker Roll Film Holder which was heavily advertised starting in 1886 and was a way for non-Kodak companies to capitalize on the popularity of film by making their existing cameras compatible. The improved model also had its handle running front to back instead of side to side, as in the original model.
References:
No detective cameras in
Scovill Mfg. Co.
catalog of May 1888.
June, 1888
Scovill Mfg. Co. catalog has the
Scovill Detective
Camera as the only detective camera.
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams
Co. (New York, NY), November 1888, p. 32
The January, 1889
Scovill & Adams Co. catalog has the Scovill Detective Camera in
regular and roll film holder versions, but no Waterbury or Triad
dectective cameras.
