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Expert: - 1/12/2009


Question
Hi David
I have an old No3 cartridge Kodak model E camera made by Eastman Kodak Co and having trawled the internet still cannot get any information regarding the history. The bellows are red/maroon in colour. on the brass? plate it is stamped 'patented jany.5.1887 also the f stops range from f4 thru to f128? Thank You.

Answer



Hello Robert,

The No. 3 Cartridge Kodak is a traditional self-casing folding bellows camera, made by Eastman Kodak from 1900 to 1907, for 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 inch exposures on old #119 roll film.  It is the smallest and least common model in a popular best-selling series of cameras (there is a No. 4 and No. 5 model as well), and for some unknown reason is particularly difficult to find in excellent condition today.  The "f-stops" are actually US (Uniform System) stops, an exposure system that was favored for a short time in America around the turn of the century.  The vast majority of Cartridge Kodak cameras were fitted with simple Bausch & Lomb rapid rectilinear lenses in Eastman Triple Action shutters (although there were other custom choices available for the photographer with fancy tastes), and the maximum aperture of US4 translates to f:8 today.  There's usually a progression of US stops that go 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128, but these really mean f:8, f:11, f:16, f:22, f:32, and f:45.  The 1887 patent date covers an important roll film design Kodak guarded from allowing their competition to use.  If your example of No. 3 Cartridge Kodak is in truly excellent shape, although not that terribly uncommon, it could sell for up to $350 in the current collectible camera market.

Best wishes,

David Silver  

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David Silver

Expertise

I'm an expert on all types of antique, classic, and contemporary cameras, as well as the general history of photography. Everything from ancient box cameras to modern single-lens-reflex; from simple Kodaks to sophisticated Leica and Nikon; from glass plates and roll film to movie and 35mm. I can identify and appraise them, explain how they work, and offer insights on their restoration and care. I can also provide historical background on vintage cameras and equipment, and guidelines on their purchase and sale.

Experience

I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for nearly 30 years. During that time my collection of vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia has grown beyond 2000 significant pieces. I've published nearly 70 articles in the field, including 16 in the popular "Buying Classic Cameras" series for PHOTO SHOPPER MAGAZINE from 1995 to 1997, I'm currently a contributing editor for CAMERA SHOPPER MAGAZINE and McKEOWN'S PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS, and I've written numerous entries for WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA. Portions of my collection have been displayed in museums and special exhibits in the past two decades, and many of the items were photographed as illustrations for books. In 1985 I founded the International Photographic Historical Organization (InPHO), which eventually evolved into its intended purpose as the best first resource for information on the history of photography. I'm also a founding member of several e-mail forums dedicated to specialized areas of photography, and I'm the moderator of the Internet Directory of Camera Collectors (IDCC), which remains the largest and most successful such group in the world. For more information about the International Photographic Historical Organization and its many services, please visit its web pages at:

http://www.photographyhistory.com


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