Here are some of the cameras I found fascinating!
(sorry for poor scans, prices are of 1987... can only imagine what they are worth these days...)
Physiographe Stereo
"(Sold as Watson's Stereo Binocular - in England). Patented in 1896 and sold until the 1920's, the Physiographe Stero camera reprembles a pair of binoculars (slightly, larger than the regular physiographe). Incorporating the deceptive angle viewfinder in one eyepiece, the other is used to as a handle to slide out the plate magazine which is hidden in the second half. Takes 45 x 107mm plates.
Current Value: $800-$1200"
Photosphere
"c1888. One of the first all metal cameras. For plates, or could take special roll back for Eastman film. Shutter in the form of a hemisphere. Unusual 13x18cm (5x7") size
Current Value: $1000-$1600
Stereo Model (world's sexiest camera, according to an expect on the subject) $4000 - 6000"
Doryu 2-16
"c1955. Unusually designed subminature camera disguised as a pistol. Flash cartridges are shaped like bullets. 10x10mm on 16mm fillm.
Current Value: $2500 - 3000
Can Cameras
"c1977-83. Modeled after the original 250ml Coke Can Camera from Japan, these cameras are all shaped like a 250ml beverage can, but with different product lables: Budweiser, 7-up, Coca-Cola, Mickey Mouse, Pepsi-Cola, Snoopy.
Current Value: $15-35"
Astrocam 110
"c1979. Small 110 camera designed to be launched via rocket to take aerial photos. Shoots one photo per flight. The 1/500 second shutter is activated at ejection just prior to parachute delopyment. With companion Delta II rocket in orginal box $25-40
Current Value: $25-40"
G.F. 81 Ring Camera
"1981. Subminature camera built into a large gold finger ring. Takes special discs of film, 25mm diameter. Variable speed guillotine shutter. Removable reflex finder doubles as screwdriver to set the controls. Originally packed in a handsom wooden case. Very limited production.
Current Value: $800-1000"
Septon Penletto
"c1953. A name variant of the Septon. Features are like the simple model, except for the conical lens mount with narrow front.
Simple Model:
No serial number. Even more rare than the deluxe model. Sector Shutter. No f-stops. Back fasten with two thumb-screws.
Current Value: $600-900"
Ticka Watch Face model
"c1912. Hands on the face show the viewing angle. An uncommon model, and difficult to establish a price.
Current Value: $1200 - 1500"
HYATT Patent Stamp Camera
"c1887. 16-lens copy camera for making 16 stamp-size photos on a 4x5" plate.
Current Value: $500-700"
INTERNATIONAL METAL & FERROTYPE CO. Diamond Fun Ferrotype
"Large Nickel cannon-shaped street camera.
Current Value: $800-1200"
IMPULSE LTD. Voltron Starshooter 110
"c1985. A working 110 camera forms part of the body of the Voltron robot. The robot itself converts to the shape of a 35mm camera, with the taking lens of the real 110 camera appearing to be the viewfinder of the dummy 35mm camera.
Current Value: $25
LEHMANN. Ben Akiba
"c1903. Cane handle camera. Obviously, a rare camera like this cannot be shakled with an "average" price. Two known sales were for $5000 & $8000.
MAGNACAM CORP. Wristamatic Model 30
"c1981. Short lived plastic writ camera. 6 circular exposures on 9mm film. Fixed focus. $35-50"
MAMIYA CAMERA CO. Pistol Camera
"c1954. Half-frame 35mm camera, shaped like a pistol. Sekor fixed focus f5.6/45mm lens. Single speed shutter. Only 250 believed to have been made for police training. $1000-1200"
STIRN. Concealed Vest Camera, No. 1
"c1886-1982. Round camera, six inches in diameter, for 6 photos 1 3/4" diameter on 5" diamater glass plates. Original price, $10.00, and early adds proclaimed, "Over 15,000 units sold in first 3 years." Needless to say, many are lost. $600-750. The original wooden box, which also allows the camera to be used on a tripod, doubles the value of the camera."
SUZUKI OPTICAL CO. Echo 8
"1951-56. Cigarette-lighter camera. Designed to look like a Zippo lighter, it also takes 5x8mm photos with its Echor f3.5/15mm lens on film in special cassettes. There are at least two sizes, the larger measuring 17x47x58mm and the earlier but more common smaller size measuring 15x42x56mm. There were also different film cassettes, either "square" or "rapid" shaped. Also sold under the name Europco-8. $175-225."
TALBOT. Invisible Camera
"c1915-1930. Unusual camera shaped like a 7cm wide belt, 34cn long with a film chamber at each end. The camera is made to be concealed under a vest with the lens protruding from a buttonhole. The versions advertised around 1930 are made for 35mm daylight-loading cartridges, but these ads usually mention that the camera has been in use for "over 15 years", (before therre were standard35mm cartridges) We suspect that they were not commercially available in the early years. Rare. Price Negotiable."
THORTON-PICKARD MFG CO. Mark III Hythe Camera
"c1915-25. Used in QQ1 to train British R.A.F machine gunners to hit a moving target from a moving plane. Has the look and feel of a machine gun. Records images of the target as the trigger is pulled. The first two models were hastily prepared to fill the immediate needs while the Mark III was perfected. 4.5x6cm on 120 rollfilm. f8/300mm. Central Shutter. $300-600"
ZEISS. Ergo (301)
"1927-31. Detective camera made to look like a monocular. Shoots at right angles to direction of viewing. "Ergo" in eyepiece area. 4.5x6cm plates. Tessar f4.5/55mm. Self-cocking shutter. Very rare. $800-1000"
... more coming if people are interested
enjoy!
JD
