Cameras/Camera Value
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Question
I have, in the original box, a Lionel Stereo camera and flash with two film magazines. I have not been able to find a value for it. It is early 1950s vintage, can you help me.
Hello Warren,
The AllExperts system had a hiccup, and for some reason it may have initially rejected your inquiry as a "homework question"! It took some doing, but I was able to retrieve your question again somehow to answer it properly, and I just hope AllExperts doesn't burp this time!
Okay, you have a Linex, an unusual little cast-metal miniature stereo camera, introduced by Lionel (yes, the train people!) around 1954, for making pairs of 16 x 20 mm 3-D exposures on special roll film in unique cassettes. It's distinctly un-American in design, really far more influenced by similar French and German products, and was Lionel's only endeavor in photography. There are plenty of them available, so they must have been an unqualified marketing success, but Lionel was so dominant in the 1950's model railroad market they must not have felt compelled to do more at the time. Although very simple in concept and function, the Linex is well made and produces good results. Ideally, you want to have the viewer that comes with the camera, or you might have problems finding another suitable way to properly view the eventual photos. Although generally common, an excellent example of the Linex in its original box, with original flash unit, cassettes, and the viewer, can sell for up to $150 today.
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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