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Collectibles-General (Antiques)/Manufactured by J.H. Kennedy, St. Paul. MINN.

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Expert: - 12/29/2010


Question

manufactured by J.H.Ke
I have this here. It does have broken part. but I don't know what it is, or if it has any value, or if i should just pitch it.

Answer



Hello Jim,

I have no idea why this would be marked as manufactured by "J.H. Kennedy" of St. Paul. Minnesota, as it is absolutely positively a Rex Magazine Camera made by the Rex Magazine Camera Company of Chicago around 1900-1905.  Seriously, no doubt about it.  If the camera has some sort of label saying otherwise, it was probably only sold through J.H. Kennedy, but definitely not made by them.  The Rex camera is well documented!  It is called a "magazine" camera because it holds an internal magazine of glass plate negatives that can be moved into shooting position one at a time by mans of a complex series of motions and movements with the back plate changing mechanism.  I don't recommend trying to work it because they do tend to break if handled incorrectly.  The Rex is a pretty typical example of the style of large leather-covered box cameras, sometime generically referred to as "detective" cameras, that were produced in the USA from about 1890 to 1910.  Although common, a Rex in truly excellent condition can still sell in the $100-$150 range today, if you can find the right market for it.  There should be a carry handle on one side, and a thick flap on the plate changing mechanism in the back that hinges up and down.  If you send me a couple of small digital pictures of the camera, at my e-mail address below, I can verify that the camera is complete, and possibly recommend some ways to sell the camera for maximum profit...

Best wishes,

David F. Silver - President
International Photographic Historical Organization

silver@photographyhistory.com  

David Silver

Expertise

I'm an expert on all types of antique and classic CAMERAS, vintage PHOTOGRAPHS, and the 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; from daguerreotypes and tintypes to the black & white images by the 20th century masters. I can identify and appraise, explain techniques and processes, offer insights on restoration and preservation, and provide guidelines for buying and selling.

Experience

I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for over 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




Education/Credentials
BA and MA in anthropology

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