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Expert: - 9/28/2007


Question
I have my dads 35mm adams camera. I believe its the pronto model with a 1:2.8/50 wetzlar lordonar lens. It is in a brown cover. The camera still works great, in fact Im in the process of running a roll of film thru it. My questions are, when was this camera made, it has serial number 111094 on the top of the frame, and how many of these were made, and what kind of value does it have these days. Thanks, Bob

Answer


Hello,

You have either the Adams 351 (no built-in rangefinder to aid focusing) or Adams 352 (with rangefinder).  These were simple 35mm cameras made by Leidolf of Wetzlar, Germany, in the late 1950's, but specifically sold in the United States under the Montgomery Ward label.  Nobody can say how many were manufactured (I doubt anybody really kept count because they were not very good cameras), but they're relatively scarce today.  A truly excellent example would sell in the $90-$120 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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