Cameras/Camera Appraisal
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Question
Hi my dad just bought a #2 Folding Pocket Brownie Camera, its most current U.S. patten date is Sept 7 1909, its in working order and the bellows are uncracked. We were wondering how much it would be worth, and if it would help we have the serial number as well. Thank you for any information you might be able to give us.
Hello April,
The No. 2 Folding Pocket Brownie is a traditional self-casing folding bellows camera, made by Eastman Kodak from 1907 to 1915, for 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 inch exposures on #120 roll film. It's a very common model, they sold zillions of them back then, so I'm afraid it doesn't carry that much value today. In excellent condition with a red bellows, collectors pay up to about $75, while a black bellows drops to about half of that. The interesting thing about this camera is that you can still use it! Most full service photographic supply stores have different types of #120 roll film available (I recommend you only use black & white with this camera because the lens is not complex enough to handle color), and any older experienced worker there should be able to show you how to load and shoot it. A working piece of history...
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:
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