ICA Kunstler Reflex camera

Nas

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After chatting with Ian about this reflex camera a friend of mine just bought, I'm creating a thread to share some images. I thought it was 5x7 but it's half plate and HUGE! Probably weighs around 5KG. Unfortunately it didn't come with any plate holders but my friend is good at designing and 3D printing things so he plans on making a 5x7 back for it. The lens was made by Ross.

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Definitely made by Butcher. Does it have an ICA badge ?

I have a PDF of the manual for the Butcher Pressman (ICA Tudor). later called "The Popular Pressman".

Ian
 
Definitely made by Butcher. Does it have an ICA badge ?

I have a PDF of the manual for the Butcher Pressman (ICA Tudor). later called "The Popular Pressman".

Ian
Not a badge but the ICA Kunstler name was stamped into the top of the leather chimney hood. The quality of this camera was much nicer than the Popular Pressman I had. The nicest leather chimney hood I've ever seen. Very thick leather and hinged catches inside the hood to keep it up.
 
I have a feeling this camera never left the UK. It's not in the 1925 ICA catalogue, and the company became part of Zeiss Ikon in 1926.

It appears that the design was initially a joint project by Wm Butcher & sSons and Hüttig, and made in the UK and sold as Hüttig's Kunstler Kamera, in Germany and the Pressman Reflex in the UK. When Hüttig became part of ICA it was sold as the ICA Tudor.

It appears that ICA resurrected the "Kunstler" name around 1922, I think it;'s essentially the Tudor with a rotating back,

Ian

 
Similar but not the same. There were less dials on the side and the winder to cock the shutter was a kind of D-shaped piece of metal that folded flat against the body. Not solid but the outline of a D. It was very nice. It did have the same little bulges with a window to display the slit size and speed (as seen in my third picture above). Sorry I didn't get more pictures of all the sides. I will next time I see may mate out with it but he's going to make a 5x7 back for it first.
 
The Pressman evolved, the later ICA Kunstler had more slits in the shutter curtain.

It's worth noting that all these particular ICA reflex cameras have English markings on the setting plates etc, not even one in German.

Ian
 
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