Rochester Optical Co., Rochester, NY
The Ideal Camera Variation 1.7
6½x8½
Label, lower front
standard: "Rochester Optical Co. / The Ideal"
Date Introduced:
Years Manufactured: c.
1890
The Ideal
Variation 1.0:
has
an s-shaped tilt mechanism, two top cam buttons to
release the removable back, and two back cam buttons to release the hinged
ground glass frame. The Ideal Variation 1.5: has one of
two types of tilt mechanisms: either a center pivot (as above) or a plate-type
bottom pivot, two top cam buttons to release the removable back, and two
back cam buttons to release the hinged
ground glass frame.
The Ideal
Variation 1.7: has an s-shaped tilt
mechanism, two top cam buttons to release the removable back, and a
spring-type ground glass frame.
The Ideal
Variation 2.0: has one of
two types of tilt mechanisms: either a center pivot (as above) or a
plate-type bottom pivot, two top clips to release the removable back,
and a
spring-type ground glass frame.
It appears that any of the above variations may
have front standard supports of varying style: e.g., three
screws and a short top tab, three screws and a long top tab, or five
screws and a short top tab. References:
Back to Rochester Optical Group of Manufacturers
Construction: front focus
via rack and pinion (two gear tracks on top of base rails);
single or double swing; three-piece lens board; reversing by removable
back
Materials: mahogany body; cherry base;
black fabric bellows; nickeled brass hardware
Sizes Offered: presumed 3¼x4¼;
4x5; 4¼x6½; 5x7; 5x8; 6½-8½; 8x10; 11x14; 14x17; 17x20; 18x22; 20x24,
the same as advertised variations
Notes:
