American Optical Company

Field View Cameras

American Optical Co., New York, NY (1858- )
American Optical Co., New Haven, CT
American Optical Div. Scovill Mfg. Co. (1867-1871)
American Optical Co., Scovill Mfg. Co., props. (1871-1889)
American Optical Co., Scovill & Adams Co., props. (1889-1902)

From the time that American Optical was bought by Scovill Mfg. Co., the two companies often produced series of cameras almost identical in construction, except that the American Optical cameras had better woods and higher grade of finish - i.e. the Scovill was the cheaper version of the American Optical.
Many of the ads for the earlier cameras use the same engraving to illustrate more than one model. For example, catalog 1 will advertise model 1 and model 2 cameras using an engraving to illustrate model 1. Another catalog will advertise model 2 only, using the previous model 1 engraving.

The American Optical Co. still exists as a manufacturer of optical microscopes.

Scans of number of catalogs can be found here.  Scans of American Optical and Scovill catalogs are here.

1888 Instantaneous Outfit
76 Camera/Centennial Camera/Pocket Camera, Model Stereo Version (1876-c. 1882)
76 Camera/Centennial Camera/Pocket Camera/Dry Plate Outfit (No.'s 201-204) (1885-c. 1898)
Compact View, Variation 1 (c. 1892-1896)
Compact View, Variation 2 or Irving, Variation 2 (c. 1895)
Double Stereo Box (c. 1878)
Dry Plate Equipment (#'s 1-8) (c. 1882)
Flammang's Revolving-Back Camera, Back Focus, Brass Variation (c. 1883-1896)
Flammang's Revolving-Back Camera, Back Focus, Nickel Variation (c. 1883-1896)
Flammang's Reversible Back Camera, Front Focus (c. 1886-1896)
Flandreau (c. 1888-1896)
Irving (1898-c. 1900)
Kilburn Gun Camera (c. 1882-1886)
Landscape, Reversible (1896-c. 1900)
Model Stereo Camera Box (c. 1878-1882)
Newton Stereoscopic Box (c. 1878)
Philadelphia Stereoscopic Box (1870-c. 1887)
Philadelphia Stereoscopic Box, New (c. 1871-1882)
Ripley Camera  (c. 1885)
St. Louis/Front Focus Cone/Front Focus Rev. Back, Variation 1 (c. 1885-1889)
St. Louis/Front Focus Cone/Front Focus Rev. Back, Variation 2 (c. 1885-1888)
St. Louis/Front Focus Cone/Front Focus Rev. Back, Variation 3 (c. 1893-1897)
Star (c. 1890-1896)
Stereoscopic Boxes (c. 1871)
Tourist Pocket (0206-0207) Outfit (1883-c. 1891)
Unknown Rear Focus Cone Bellows View Camera (c. 1885)
Unknown Rear Focus Straight Bellows View Camera (c. 1886)
Venus Box/8x10 Improved View Camera Box w/ Extras (c. 1878-1882)
View Camera Boxes (c. 1871-1882)
View Camera Boxes, New/Improved/Cone (1873-c. 1882)
Waterbury Type Camera (c. 1887)