Rochester Camera Manufacturing
Co., Rochester, NY
Rochester Camera Co., Rochester, NY
Rochester Camera & Supply Co., Rochester, NY
Rochester View Variation 1
Rochester
Camera & Supply Co. Catalog, 1900, p. 40-41 Jas. H. Smith
Catalog, July 1901, p. 23 6 ½ x 8 ½ References:
Date Introduced: - ;
Years Manufactured: c. 1895-1901
Construction: front
focus via rack and pinion (two gear tracks on top of base rails);
single swing; three-piece lens board; reversing by removable back
Materials: mahogany body; cherry bed; black
fabric bellows; brass hardware;
Sizes Offered: 5x7; 5x8; 6 ½x8 ½;
8x10; 11x14; 14x17
Notes: Closely related
in design to the earlier
ROC Ideal,
The Rochester View was made by a number of closely related
companies in a number of variations, but not by the original Rochester
Optical Co. (1883-1899). The Rochester View might be
considered a rip-off of the ROC Ideal by the rival Rochester
Camera Mfg. Co., which was started in 1891 by H.B. Carlton, the brother
of W.F. Carlton, the principal in ROC (there might be a family story
here). Rochester View, Variation 1 has only front focus, a
nifty, spring-loaded lens board retaining clip, and ground glass
springs that point the same way (differing from the
Rochester
View Variation 2, which had no nifty retaining clip and ground
glass springs pointing in opposite directions). However, that the
lens board clip is at the top requires fitting the lens board to a close
tolerance, since gravity does not help the lens board look tight, as in
most other view cameras with the clips on the the bottom. Both
variations 1 and 2 had a short extension on the front and no rear
extension, while the otherwise similarly designed
Variation 3
and Poco
Variation had the short extension on the back.
Photographic Cameras, Rochester
Camera Mfg. Co. (Rochester,
NY), June 1895. pp.
6-7
Photographic Apparatus,
Rochester Camera Co. (Rochester, NY),
May 1896. pp.
6-7
Catalogue of Photographic Sundries,
A.S. Aloe Co. (St. Louis, MO), c. 1897, p. 15
Dept. 5: Photographic Lenses, Supplies,
etc. 2nd ed.; Andrew J. Lloyd
& Co. (Boston, MA) catalog,
1897, p. 41
Photographic Apparatus,
Rochester Camera Co. (Rochester, NY),
April 1898. pp.
6-7
Catalogue and Bargain List No. 11,
Ralph J. Golson (Chicago, IL), Nov. 1, 1898, p. 2
Department 5, Photographic Supplies, Lenses, etc., Andrew J. Lloyd
& Co. (Boston, MA), undated c.1898, p.44
Photographic Apparatus,
Rochester Camera & Supply Co. (Rochester, NY),
1899. pp. 36-37
Illustrated Catalogue No. 18,
L.M. Prince & Bros. (Cincinnati, OH), c. 1899, p. 35
Catalogue of Photographic Sundries,
Jas. H. Smith & Co. (Chicago, IL) Catalog, 1899, p. 18
The Poco Camera 1900, Rochester Camera & Supply Co. (Rochester,
NY), p. 40-41
Photographic Encyclopedia, Andrew J. Lloyd & Co. (Boston, MA),
1901, p. 106
Untitled Advertising Circular, Eastern Camera Mfg. Co. (Chicago, IL), c.
1901 (as the Western View Outfit)
Catalogue of Photographic Sundries, Jas. H. Smith (Chicago, IL)
Catalog, July 1, 1901, p. 23
Illustrated Catalogue No. IIII of Professional and Amateur
Photographer's Supplies, Wm. F. Uhlman (St. Joseph, MO), c.1901, p.
41
