American Optical Co./Scovill Mfg. Co.
St. Louis Camera,
Variation 1
Front Focus Cone Camera, Variation 1
Front Focus
Reversible Back Camera, Variation 1
Scovill's
Photo. Series No. 20, Dry Plate Making for Amateurs, 1886, p.
a13
8x10
Date Introduced: - ; Years
Manufactured: c.1885-1889
Construction: front focus via
rack and pinion (single gear track on top of middle base rail);
no, single or double
swing; reversing by removable back; three-piece lensboard
Materials: mahogany body; cherry base; black fabric bellows;
brass hardware
Sizes Offered: 4x5; 4¼x5½; 5x7; 6½x8½; 8x10
Notes: When advertised, the engraving for this camera
usually carries a "Scovill" identification rather than an "American
Optical" identification. Yet cameras exist, such as the 8x10 version above,
that are stamped American Optical and having the usual high quality AO construction and
finish. Apparently this model was made both by Scovill and American Optical (even
though Scovill owned American Optical). American Optical St. Louis cameras have
smoother finishes in both wood and brass, and seem to always have a silver American
Optical label.
Scovill St. Louis cameras have a lack of the
above. This model is similar except for its non-revolving back to the American Optical Flammang's Revolving Back Front Focus Camera.
At least two other variations of the St. Louis exist. The St.
Louis, Variation 2 is as above, except that the swing back has a center pivot rather
than a bottom hinge. The St. Louis, Variation 3 has the
bottom hinge, but also has a low profile spring back, and double, locking
knurled
focusing knobs. These details indicate that it is probably a later version of
Variation 1. A strange detail is that Variations 1 and 2 have the patent bed locking
device going from the front to back, while Variation 3 has its patent bed locking device
going from back to front.
References:
Photographic Times 15, 1885, p. 583
Scovill's
Photo. Series No. 20, Dry Plate Making for Amateurs,
Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY), 1886, p.
a13
Catalog P, Photographic Material, J. W. Queen & Co. (Philadelphia, PA), 1886, p. 61
(As St. Louis)
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY), distributed by C.H. Codman & Co.
(Boston, MA), April 1887, 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.
27
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
Scovill Mfg. Co. (New York, NY), distributed by Buchanan, Bromley & Co. (Philadelphia, PA) Catalog, 1888
Scovill's Photographic Series
No. 26, The Photographic Instructor,
Prof. Charles Ehrmann, Scovill Mfg. Co., 1888,
ads p.
xv
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List, Scovill & Adams Co.
(New York, NY), January 1889, p. 26
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List,
The Scovill & Adams Co. (New York, NY), distributed by Buchanan, Bromley & Co. (Philadelphia, PA) Catalog, 1889
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