Unknown Manufacturer
Unknown
15
Counterfeit Anthony-Blair-Scovill Combination (manufactured)
Date Introduced: - ;
Years Manufactured: c. 1890 This camera is assembled using professional-appearing
box joints requiring specialized jigs and equipment, such as would be
used by a factory or manufacturer rather than a talented craftsman.
Likewise, the hardware is made from cast or other thick stock, as would
be used in a factory-made camera. The wood is finished using the
French polish technique, another process to be expected in a factory.
Finally, the bellows appears to have been constructed by a professional
or highly experienced maker. All these features point to this
camera having been manufactured in a camera factory. The only
observation pointing to a non-factory construction is that the rod and
piston device for making the platform rigid is a Scovill Mfg. Co. part
taken from a previously manufactured Scovill camera, such as the
Scovill
Waterbury Camera.
Parts of the design of this
camera are similar to cameras manufactured by no fewer than three major
camera manufacturers of the period. The rod and piston device
already mentioned is courtesy of Scovill Mfg. Co. The removable
spring back is very similar to the back of the
E. & H.T,
Anthony Vincent View Camera. The clips holding the
back on are similar to clips on the
Blair Camera Co. Champion Camera
(as illustrated above). The vertical brass parts used to produce
the rear standard swing are almost identical to the
Blair
Camera Co. Reversible Back Improved Variation 3 and
Reversible
Back Improved Variation 4. Similar straight
hardware has also been used for the
Eastman Dry Plate & Film Co.
Interchangeable View and most
Gundlach-Manhattan Optical Co. view
cameras.
I would call the camera a
counterfeit of some camera model if I could, but it is really a
counterfeit of at least three camera models from three different
manufacturers. All-in-all, a beautifully executed unique and
interesting combination of view camera design. References:
Back to E. & H.T. Anthony Index
8 x 10"
Rear View Showing the Spring Back Set Open, Ready for Plate Holder
Insertion
Rear View with Plate Holder Inserted Half-way
Bottom
Top
Photo of the Unknown camera's Rod and Slot Device for Making the Platform Rigid.
This is a genuine Scovill Mfg. Co. part, engraved:
"Patented October 20, 1886".
Close-up.
The brass in the middle of the combined
patent connector is tarnished (oxidized), while the brass on the edges
has been protected from oxidation by a thin coat of varnish. This
varnish around the edges is typical of Scovill-manufactured cameras, so
it is evident that this rod and slot connector was on a Scovill camera
at one time. However, Scovill cameras having the patent device
would also have a Scovill stamp in the wood at the rear end of the
platform. Such a stamp is not present on this platform, which
indicates that the wooden part of the platform is not of Scovill
manufacture. Only the connector itself was made by Scovill.
In addition, the extreme edges of the connector metal, especially at the
left end, show a slightly darker brass color than the other edges.
This can be seen in oblique lighting to be due to a second coat of
varnish applied over the first. This is consistent with the wooden
part of the platform being not made by Scovill: the second varnish
coat happened when the Unknown Manufacturer assembled this camera using
their own wooden parts and a genuine Scovill, previously finished patent
connector. Then, wood was varnished, during which additional
varnish was incidentally slopped on the extreme edges of the connector.
This shows that the genuine Scovill parts were pulled from an existing
Scovill camera and re-purposed in a new platform by the
Unknown View Camera No. 15
manufacturer.
Plate Holder that came with the camera. The holder fits, but
appears to have had a piece near the dark slide replaced. The
replacement is flat (no contouring as common in plate holders); a flat
holder like this is similar to Scovill Mfg. Co. holders made to fit
their
Acme
View Cameras and their
Flammang Revolving Back Cameras
(see
Acme View
Camera Variation 2 Plate Holders).
Close-up of Stamp: "The Scovill & Adams Co., N.Y."
The Scovill & Adams Co. existed between 1889
and 1901, when the company merged with E. & H.T. Anthony & Co.
Comparison of the back corner of the
E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. Vincent View Camera (Left) and the Unknown View
Camera (Right).
Despite looking superficially the same, note that 1) the
location of the spring (non-brass metal) is different,
2) the brass corner protector plate is smaller in the Unknown View
Camera than the Anthony's, yet its screws are more widely spaced, and
3) the brass ground glass retaining plate on the Unknown View Camera is
larger than the Anthony's, and also has two extra holes.
-LP1248(r)-2-1500.jpg)
Comparison of the upper right rear corner of 1) (Left) an E. & H.T.
Anthony & Co. Vincent View Camera, 2) (Middle) the Unknown View Camera,
and 3) (Right) a Blair Camera Co. Champion Variation 2, illustrating the
clips employed to retain the removable backs.
This Anthony clip is merely a flat strip of brass bent at the tip,
whereas the clips on the Unknown camera and the Blair Champion camera
both possess a tip that is solid metal screwed or soldered to a flat
strip.
-LP1248(m)-BlairLP302(r)-2000.jpg)
Construction: rear
focus via push-pull,
no gears, single swing;
removable reversible back; folding bed
Materials: main box
is mahogany, base is cherry or other fruit wood; black fabric bellows; brass
hardware
Sizes Offered: at least
8x10"
Notes:
