E. & H.T. Anthony

Amateur Equipment  or Outfit (#'s 1-8B), Variation 2 (c. 1882-1889)

No. 4 4x5, no swing, removable back

view entire line of Anthony Amateur Equipment for 1887

Date Introduced: - ; Years Manufactured: c. June 1882 - c. 1889
Construction: rear focus via push-pull; optional swing; reverse by two tripod mounts; 3-piece lensboard
Materials: optional body; cherry base track; black fabric bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: (A=No Swing; B=Single Swing=N.P.A; #1/1A=4x5; #1½/1½B=4¼x6½; #2/2B=5x8; #4=vertical 4x5 (photos above); #6=#5 w/ lens; #7B=6½x8½; #8B=8x10
Notes: In 1882, a limited variety was offered, generally following the description above, but no camera had swing, so no A and B models; only models 4, 5 and 6 were mahogany, the others ebonized; only 5 and 6 had folding bed.  Later, the models without letters have simple, removable ground glass backs; the A models have hinged ground glass backs but no swing, and the B models have hinged backs and single swing (however, the #1 no letters in the 1887 catalog has a hinged back).  There may have been differences in woods used that is not apparent in engravings, but that changed over time.   In 1884, #'s 1B, 2B, 5, 6, 7B and 8B (the models w/ swing) are the same as the N.P.A camera, and are referred to as such in Anthony literature; for 1884, #'s 1, 1½, 2, and 3 are non-folding bed and ebonized (black painted) finish, but by 1887 (see catalog page), they appear to fold, and by 1889, the designation Amateur Equipment was dropped, and these non-mahogany models became the Manhattan Camera; #'s 4, 5, and 6 in 1884 are mahogany w/ folding bed, and #7 is ebonized w/ folding bed. Compare these numbers with American Optical's #1-8 - they refer to the same sizes.   An "Equipment" just refers to the camera, while an "Outfit" would include a wooden case, tripod, and possibly a dark cloth.
     The May, 1885 catalog refers to the "stained" or ebonized versions, whereas the September, 1885 lists all Amateur Outfits as mahogany.
    This model may be distinguished from the Champion model by its construction.  Note that both the front and rear standards have a solid block of wood underlying the box-jointed part. The Champion and later NPA models  are  made with the box-jointed part placed directly on and overlapping the bed, a neater but perhaps trickier construction.  Rival Scovill's cheap model Ne Plus Ultra also had the solid block underlayment type of construction.
 

No. 2A 5x8, no swing, hinged back

References:
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Photographic Equipments & Materials, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY),  September 1885, pp. 4-7
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Photographic Equipments & Materials, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY),  August 1887, pp. 4-10
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Photographic Equipments & Materials, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), January 1888, pp. 4-10
Illustrated Catalogue of Amateur Photographic Equipments & Materials, E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. (New York, NY), January 1889, pp. 4-10

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