Scovill Mfg. Co., Waterbury, CT & New Haven, CT
Mignon Bicycle Camera
Manufacturer:
American Optical Co. New York, NY factory There are four models of view camera
ever manufactured (other than the Midget Pocket, a combination view and
box camera not included on this list of four) by American Optical,
Scovill or Scovill & Adams. All described as a bicycle camera or
suitable for bicycling, except the Petite, which is for Vassar pupils
(women), they were (in order of increasing price): Unfortunately, Scovill never saw fit
to picture the Ne Plus Ultra Bicyclist's Camera/Outfit or the
Mignon Camera. The Petite has a large engraving that can be
matched to a camera. Likewise, the Pocket Bicycle Camera,
despite a very small engraving on top of a large wheel bicycle, can also
be matched. The identity of the Ne Plus Ultra Bicycle Camera
and the Mignon Camera are based on price, assuming that the
better made camera would be the expensive Mignon. The Mignon is a high-end small camera, "consisting
of a finely polished mahogany camera, with swing back, vertical shifting
front, hinged ground glass back, folding bed,
with patent latch, rack and pinion movement (front focus)."
Without the universal joint bicycle attachment, it is also part of the
No. 3
1888
Instantaneous Outfit.
It is thought that the Mignon Camera is probably similar quality
to the Petite Camera, but front focus instead of rear focus.
A camera exists that matches this description, appears to be an American
Optical product (although not labeled as such), and is obviously an
expensive camera to produce and sell. It may be seen at
http://www.antiquewoodcameras.com/AOC-Mignon.html. This camera
has two distinctive scallop-shaped brass fixtures on its right side, one
fixture to control the swing (similar to
AO's Philadelphia Stereo View),
and another fixture as decoration to the centrally-placed swing hinge.
Its hinged front extension is cut away at the bottom to reduce weight.
References:
Back to American Optical
Co. / Scovill Mfg. Co. (alphabetical)
Date Introduced: - ; Years Manufactured:
c.1885-1894
Construction: front focus
via rack and pinion (gear tracks on top of base rails); single
swing; non-reversing; shifting lens board
Materials: mahogany body; cherry base;
black fabric bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: 3¼x4¼
Notes:
--the
Ne Plus Ultra Bicyclist's Camera/Outfit (Outfit: camera,
Waterbury lens, plate holder, bicycle attachment, canvas bag = $10.00),
--the
Scovill's Pocket Bicycle Camera/Outfit (Outfit: camera,
with S.M.C. focusing lens, plate holder, bicycle attachment, = $12.00;
apparently the canvas bag is not included in this outfit)
--the
Petite Camera/Outfit ($12 camera & plate holder w/o lens, $17
same with tripod and canvas bag) and
--the
Mignon Camera/Outfit (Outfit: camera, plate holder, bicycle
attachment, canvas bag = $25.00 w/o lens; $50.00 with; $70.00 with
Morrison lens)
Scovill's Photo. Series No. 1, The Photographic
Amateur, 2nd Edition, J. Traill Taylor,
Scovill Mfg. Co. pub. (New York, NY), 1883,
2nd Ed. about 1885, p. a17
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY), distributed by
Andrew J. Smith (Providence, RI),
1886, p. 41
Scovill's Photo. Series No. 17 - First Lessons in Amateur
Photography,
Randall Spaulding, Scovill Mfg. Co. pub. (New York, NY), copyright 1886,
p.a17
Scovill's Photo. Series No. 12,
Photographic Chemistry, Scovill Mfg. Co.
(New York, NY), 1886, p. a25
Scovill's Photo. Series No. 20, Dry
Plate Making for Amateurs, Scovill Mfg. Co. (New
York, NY), 1886, p. a17
How to Make Pictures, 4th edition, Henry Clay Price, Scovill Mfg.
Co., publishers (New York, NY), dated 1887, copyright 1886, p.a16
Photographic Lenses and How to Select Them, James W. Queen & Co.
(Philadelphia, PA), 1887, p. 27
Scovill Manf'g Co. Catalogue Photographic Goods, June, 1887,
David Tucker & Co. (Buffalo, NY), June, 1887, p.180
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY),
undated but about January 1888, p 44
An
Illustrated Catalogue of Photographic Cameras, Lenses and Other
Apparatus and Materials for Photography, W.H. Walmsley & Co.
(Philadelphia, PA), April 1, 1888, p. 16
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY), May 1888, p. 35
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
Scovill Mfg. Co., distributed by John Wanamaker
(Philadelphia, PA), June 1888,
p. 35
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY), distributed by C.H.
Codman & Co. (Boston, MA), September
1888, p. 36
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams
Co. (New York, NY), 1890, p. 45
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams Co.
(New York, NY), January 1889, p. 34
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams
Co. (New York, NY), distributed by Oscar Foss (San Francisco, CA), June
1890, p. 46
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams
Co. (New York, NY), January
1891, p. 48
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams
Co. (New York, NY), distributed by Sargent & Co. (Cleveland, OH), April
1891, p. 12
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams
Co. (New York, NY), distributed by Horgan, Robey & Co. (Boston, MA),
June 1891, p. 14
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams Co. (New York, NY),
January 1892, p. 14
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams
Co. (New York, NY), abt. June 1892, p. 14
American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for
1893, The Scovill & Adams Co. (New York, NY),
1892, ads p. 86
The American Annual of Photography and
Photographic Times Almanac for 1894, The
Scovill & Adams Co. (New York, NY), 1893, p. 125
