Cameras/old brass lens
Advertisement
Question
Hello, I have a big old camera brass lens. It has no water stop. lens is marked
(engraved) C. Shepherd & Co. 97. Farringdon St. London. 5122. I am not sure if
it is a daguerreotype or wet plate lens. Any information would be great.
thanks Race Gentry
Hello,
Shepherd was a large provider of photographic supplies in England in the 1870's through 1890's. They did not actually manufacture anything themselves, but rebadged products they bought from other sources. Many of their lenses were actually generic optics from companies like Darlot and Dallmeyer. You may have something that dates from the late wet plate era, BUT without seeing it for myself, I cannot be certain. They also sold a LOT of lantern slide projector lenses, in a wide range of sizes, and these, of course, were not slotted for waterhouse stops. You'd be surprised how often even advanced collectors of photographic antiquities mistake projector lenses for camera lenses! So I will not commit! If you'd like, send a small JPEG digital image of the lens to my personal e-mail <silver@well.com> and I'll gladly take a look at it for you. It would only take a moment for me to properly identify its nature, and I may even be able to identify the actual manufacturer.
Best wishes,
David Silver
Related Articles
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:
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.