Cameras/Old Cameras
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Question
Hi David
Please can you give me information on 3 cameras given to me by my father on my last trip to italy 6 weeks ago
1 is a Agfa synchro box camera
2 is a Agfa Billy Record with a concertina type lens that pops out once opened
3 is a Zeiss Ikon also with concertina type lens that pops out once opened
I also have a tripod that fits both 2 and 3 so I'm not sure to wich it belongs
Please can you tell me a little about them and if of any value
Kind Regards
Rosario Coppola
Hello Rosario,
The Synchro Box is a simple snapshot camera, made by Agfa of Germany from 1951 to 1959, for 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 inch exposures on #120 roll film. It is very common. Truly excellent examples sell for $15-$20.
The Billy Record is an inexpensive folding bellows camera, made in many variations by Agfa of Germany from 1933 to 1952, for 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 inch exposures on #120 roll film. It is one of the best selling cameras in history, so MANY were sold. A truly excellent example is only worth about $30 today.
I cannot tell you anything about the Zeiss Ikon folding bellows camera. Zeiss Ikon was the largest camera company in the world, and they made hundreds of different folding bellows cameras from 1926 to 1966. You need to tell me the precise model name, or perhaps find the model code hidden on the camera body. The code will look like an odd fraction, for example 521/8 or 76/16 or 507/24 or something similar. Then I can give you some history and a value.
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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