Cameras/coronet
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Question
i have a black coronet midget camera in excellent condition
it has a blue leather case in good nick,is the case more collectible than the camera
Hello,
The Midget is a tiny bakelite subminiature camera, made by the Coronet Camera Company of England around 1935, for special rolls of 16mm film. It came in several different colors, including (in ascending order of rarity and value) black, green, brown, red, and blue. Truly excellent examples in black with case sell for about $80-$100 today. At the other extreme, a nice blue example can go as high as $500! The majority of cases we find with most Midgets are actually blue, and it's believed to be the default color for the case, so it is not unusual. Black is also common. Cases in the other colors are much less common. The cases did not match the cameras very often.
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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