Posted 9 years ago
azey
(1 item)
seen one on here just wanted to know something about it as was my granddads and would like to know bit more
Maker Guy&co | ||
| Wood Cameras55 of 291 |  |  |
Maker Guy&co | ||
| Wood Cameras55 of 291 | | |
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Posted 9 years ago
azey
(1 item)
seen one on here just wanted to know something about it as was my granddads and would like to know bit more
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rniederman, help in isle 4 ! He'll be here soon unless it's his coffee break. ( those can last 24 hrs.!)
Okay ... coffee break is over (this morning’s choice was a dark roast Sumatra).
About the camera ... there is not a lot of information about Guy & Company but I know the firm was a U.K. photographic supplier and retailer during the very early 1900s. As with nearly all suppliers / retailers, they private labeled apparatus made by established builders. This is such a camera.
The camera is a classic British design we call “English Compact”. In other words, fairly large view cameras can be collapsed into a very small form when the lens is removed. It is meant for field use outside of a studio. The camera was also made to shoot dry glass plates but at the time of manufacture sheaths were available to use cut film.
The challenge with most English Compact cameras is, even with a maker’s badge, they are nearly identical. This is also because some builders created cameras for other builders, which makes it very difficult to pin down the actual manufacturer. I’ve seen many of this camera’s distinctive build features on others and don’t recall off the top of my head which makers would have built it.
Your camera has a very long bellows draw which means a moderate telephoto lens could be used. The round brass aperture inset into the bed is for a set of tripod legs. On another note, English builders were extremely meticulous and fussy. For instance, you can see all the screw heads are aligned which is difficult to do. The wood is typically a good quality mahogany.
Look around to see if you can find a brass lens with its lens board. While it does not have a lot of value, these cameras make really nice displays.
Azey, did Rneiderman answer all your questions ? Great job, mon. Old time quality gun makers would align screw slots also & though that was a good observation.
yes and thanks for letting me know more shame glass broken and lens missing but have found them for sale cheap so will post pic when all complete again
Yep ... I saw that it looked like the ground glass was broken. These are easy to find at camera shows and replace. The lens would be brass barreled and English ... something like a Taylor, Taylor - Hobson. It would be important to find the correct focal length based on the format size.
I also have another camera left to me by him a pentax 110auto with spare lens really small camera
Hi azey ... let's see your Pentax 110 camera here on Show & Tell! These were cute.
hi I was wounder if anyone would know what size the glass is on wooden camera as trying to replace but don't know how to measure it as only have tapemeasure
cheers
Hi azey ... just measure the inside dimensions of the wood frame. There will be a recessed area for the glass to sit in. Formats have standards and in English measures, to the nearest 1/4 inch. British cameras are typically English measured formats (i.e. 3.25 x 4.25, 4 x 5, 5 x 7, etc.).