Cameras/Vintage Eastman Kodak
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Question
I have an old Eastman Kodak "bellows" type camera that has been in my family for years. I'm curious of the age of it.
It is approximately 5"x 12"x 2" (in the collapsed position). The only identifying number I can find on it is on the latch that opens it (and also serves as the front support when open). The number is 63288-A. Any help?
The camera covering is a textured black leather and the case is smooth black leather.
I know this camera was originally owned by Colonel Townsend Wheelen who was an original contributer to early issues of "Field & Stream" and other outdoor magazines in the 1940's & 50's.
I can email you photos of this camera, if that helps. Thanks in advance.
Eric
Hi Eric,
Oh, I'm certain there's a name on it somewhere, and you just don't see it. Rather than play "twenty questions" in an effort to identify the exact model, go ahead and send a single small JPEG showing the camera's general overall appearance to my personal e-mail <silver@well.com> and I'll get right back to you. Please, only one, I do NOT need any details or extreme close-ups, and only in basic JPEG format or my cranky old computer may choke on it. Just pop open the camera, extend its bellows, and take a single neat snapshot of it. Once I have the JPEG, I should be able to identify it in a few seconds.
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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