Gandolfi Advert from 1903 BJP Almanac

[Paul Kay]

Thought that this might be of interest to some. I have one of the "Universal" cameras stamped L Gandolfi where a dentist's mirror is required to view it!

 

[Ian Grant]

You may have just helped identify the model of my early Gandolfi, as The Imperial Camera.

Ian

 

[Paul Kay]

These cameras can be tricky to identify and I fin that they are even more difficult to date Ian! I believe mine is probably pre-1928, which is when Louis died and so it is unlikely cameras were stamped with his initial (but not impossible of course), but it could also be as early as 1890ish too. It shows signs of being heavily used. I have another later camera, a 5" x 4" Tailboard but which was obviously originally built to take a roll film holder, and it is most likely pre-WWII but again its difficult to know. I've not managed to find a roll film holder to fit it as yet as there were numerous slightly different holders all of which fitted into a proprietry slot depending on maker and camera.

 

[Ian Grant]

It's the fitting that the front standard fits and is then locked in, something Louis Patented. In the late 1880s through to the early 1900s there were many Patents for folding or removing the front standard to fold up field cameras. Unless you had your own Patent, then you would have to pay royalties to someone else to use theirs.

Houghton used Sanderson's Patented front standard mechanism, and part of the licensing was those cameras carried the Sanderson name.


That advert is the first time I've seen this fitting illustrated, it's a sliding lock.

The 1911 BJPA is clearer.



However, this is The New Imperial Camera, mine is The Imperial CAmera.

Ian

 

[Ian Grant]

1911 Gandolfi advert, unusual for them, 2 pages.



Scanned at 1200dpi if anyone wants a copy.

Ian

 

[Paul Kay]

Here's a better file from 1903:

 

[Ian Grant]

Thanks, Paul. The images are clear enough to show the spring catches for the front standard.

Often engraved illustrations are not very accurate, a good example is the top illustration of The New Imperial in the 1911 advert. The front standard focus bed racks are not connected to a pinion, also in that position the focus bed would be extending through the rear of the camera bed,

Ian