F. Putnam Co.
Marvel Variation 2 (Resale of the Scovill Mfg. Co. Waterbury View Variation 1)
5 x 8, Serial No. 326
Bottom
Top
Stamps, lower part
of front standard: three stamps of the serial no. 326, and "F. Putnam /
New York" on the front face of the platform.
Stamps, rear of the
top of
the platform:
Left side: "F. Putnam - New York" (one stamp having two lines)
Right side: "Marvel".
A close-up of the
Flammang's patent rod and pocket device for making the platform rigid. "Marvel" stamp.
Each brass plate is stamped: "Patented / October 20, 1885"
Scovill or American
Optical Plate Holder, unmarked.
Another 5 x 8,
Serial No. 442
Bottom
Top
Stamps, lower part
of front standard: three stamps of the serial no. 442, and "F. Putnam /
New York" on the front face of the platform.
Stamps, rear of the
top of
the platform:
Left side: "F. Putnam - New York" (one stamp having two lines)
Right side: "Marvel".
A close-up of the
Flammang's patent rod and pocket device for making the platform rigid. "Marvel" stamp.
Each brass plate is stamped: "Patented / October 20, 1885"
Scovill or American
Optical Plate Holder, unmarked.
Manufacturer:
Scovill Mfg. Co., New Haven, CT factory
Date Introduced: - ;Years Manufactured:
c.1880's
Construction: back focus
via push-pull; single swing;
non-reversing
Materials: white-wood body (possibly
cherry); cherry base; black rubber bellows; brass hardware,
varnish finish
Sizes Offered: 4x5, 5x8, 8x10 on special
order
Notes:
The Putnam Marvel is not a particularly rare view camera, as examples abound. The term "Marvel" appears to have been applied by the F. Putnam Co. to any of a number of different types of cameras - some wooden field view cameras and at least one leather-covered box camera. In other words, apparently, anything sold by the Putnam company is a Marvel. The wooden view camera Marvels were made by the Scovill Mfg. Co., then apparently stamped by Putnam to be resold. There are two variations of wooden field view cameras of interest here:
Most wooden field view camera examples are the Putnam Marvel Variation 1, which appears to be identical to the Scovill Favorite model, yet usually stamped "F. Putnam New York" and "Marvel". The Scovill Favorite is a no-frills view camera, made using varnished basswood, sometimes called white wood, and brass. Putnam ads and literature usually feature an engraving that was used for the Scovill Favorite in Scovill literature, but other engravings in Marvel literature appear to have been appropriated from Scovill's Ne Plus Ultra and American Optical's 76 Models.
A 5x8" example of Putnam Marvel Variation 1, Serial No. 639, was originally stamped during manufacture with the usual "Scovill Mfg. Co." on the right rear of the base. This stamp was then over-stamped with "Marvel", as if a Scovill Favorite camera was pulled from current completed stock to fill an order for a Putnam Marvel. Also, "F. Putnam New York" is stamped on the left rear of the base. Another Scovill stamp appears on the lens board. The wooden carrying case that is associated with No. 639 has typical Scovill construction (splines at the corners) No. 639 does not have the 1885 patent sliding devices to make the bed rigid, but then, neither do non-Marvel Scovill Favorites. Instead, they rely on a simple removable thumbscrew. The brass Waterbury lens on No. 639has insertable stops, whereas most Scovill Favorites seem to have the more common and handy Waterbury lens with rotating stops. The ground glass frame is loose, like non-Marvel Scovill Favorites, rather than hinged, and is painted black. The finish on this variation does not appear to be any worse than that of non-Marvel Scovill Favorites, unlike Variation 2, below.
A second, rarer, type of wooden field view camera bearing Marvel stamps appears to be identical to the Waterbury View Variation 1 model, except for its being unusually poorly and sloppily finished with shellac. At least two examples of such a model exist: the 5x8 size example shown on these pages (camera serial no. 326), and another 5x8, camera serial no. 277 with lens board serial no. 303 was offered on eBay in July 2019.
References:
The Photographic Times and American Photographer,
Vol. XIV, No. 171 (New Series No. 51), J. Trail Taylor, ed., Scovill
Mfg. Co., pub., NY, December 26, 1884, ads page 31
Descriptive Circular of Home Photography, Franklin Putnam, c.
1885.
Practical Instructions for Amateurs, revised by Franklin Putnam, c.
1885
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