Posted 12 years ago
rniederman
(346 items)
I have a fascination with cameras capable of making many images on a single plate. The Royal Mail Stamp Camera (W. Butcher & Sons, London, England) represents one of the simplest types. It's nothing more than a beautifully polished, mahogany box with fifteen lenses, an internal septum to separate the images, and spring mounted metal plate shutter.
The novelty of the Royal Mail Stamp Camera is the ability to produce fifteen tiny images on small 3-1/4" x 4-1/4" dry plates or film. The resulting 3/4" x 7/8" pictures are much smaller than CDVs; about the size of postage stamps (hence the name).
To achieve this, an internal septum creates individual dark chambers for each image as shown in the image above. By the time the Royal Mail Stamp Camera was discontinued, interchangeable fronts and a specialized baseboard & easel for the copy camera version were offered allowing it to copy a single image into stamp sized pictures.
Thanks, blunderbuss2!
Thanks, cogito!
Where did you find that Rob? They are much rarer than hens' teeth!
Thanks, mustangtony!
Thanks, Eric ... I acquired the camera in 2004 from a Westlight auction and it is authenticated as an original.
Thanks, officialfuel!
GREAT Camera!
scott
I'll let you know when I find a period image of the camera!
scott
Thanks, pw-collector!
Thanks, Scott ... I trust if anyone can find a period image with the camera, you can! Actually, one of the most coveted items to find are actual stamp images created by the Royal Mail ... a couple are known.
Thanks, Designer!
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Thanks, toolate2!
Thanks, shughs!
Thanks, f64imager!
Thanks Chevelleman69 and Longings!
Thanks, sanhardin!
Thanks Sean and mtg75!
Thanks, gargoylecollector!
Thanks, walksoftly!
Thanks, vetraio50!
Thanks, lisa!
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Thanks, trunkman!
Thanks, AntigueToys!
Thanks, petey!
Thanks, Phil!
Thanks, sugargirl!
Thanks, sanhardin!
Thanks, leighannrn!
Thanks, Sean!
your very welcome Rob:)
Actually Sean ... thanks for all of your 'loves' and glad to have you hanging out on CW.
Thanks, tom61375!
Thanks, Perry!
Thanks, aghcollect!
Thanks, BohemianVintage!
Thanks!
kyratango
paulmartin
Thanks, Nordicman32!
Thanks!
Celiene
pops52
SDCameraFan