Slideshow on my website

I added a slideshow to my website of some of my cameras, sometimes with the instruction booklet or an original photo made with such a camera. Below an example of an extremely rare military Kodak from 1916, together with a rare print of WW1 soldiers, one with a camera.
Over the next weeks I will add new photos.

There is a Eastman Interchangeable View camera from around 1887 for sale on eBay. Only 2 days to go. See for yerself here.

Mysterious printing frame

Here are two more pics of the frame. One of the text on it, the other of a detail. It could be a frame for double exposing a piece of photo paper, but what use is the slit in the middle? It would give a dark line in the middle of the print.

No. 4 Folding Kodet Junior & other stuff

My restored No. 4 Folding Kodet Junior is on its way home. The pic here shows the result. Not bad, I would say!

I received a question about a Eastman printing frame, but I don't know the answer. See the photos below.

 

The frame on the left in each photo seems to be an ordinary printing frame, but what is the thing on the right? Please let me know if you know.

There are a number of early Kodaks at eBay now:

A naked Flexo (3 bids already! Grrrr.)

No. 3 Kodak, stringset camera in nice condition

No. 2 Kodak, stringset that needs some TLC

No. 4 Folding Kodak, a very early model with wing shutter. See photo below. The model in my collection is still earlier. It does not have the wheel on top. Have a look at it on my site.

Original Folding Pocket Kodak, yes the real one! Hurry hurry, only one day to go!

What's going on? (again)

Today I received a mail with a photo of my No. 4 Folding Kodet Junior. The inner parts are restored now and work on the outside can start. What I see is very promissing.

I also came across a instruction booklet from 1897 on eBay for the original Folding Pocket Kodak. The 'buy it now' price was very reasonable, so I clicked the button as fast as I could. The illustration on the front page shows the 4 holes in the lens board and the cone shaped lens opening! It will make a fine addition to my very first model of the FPK. I already have a set of mounted photos and the rare tripod adapter to go with it.



The Vest Pocket Kodak enlarging camera I mentioned earlier was sold for AU$ 20 to the one bidder that did bid. Lucky (wo)man!

At the moment there are a few interesting items for sale. First is a No. 5 Folding Kodak Improved in original condition, meaning that the reddish brown leather was not colored black. It is a later variation in nice condition. See for yourself. US$ 100 at the moment, 1 bid, still 5 days to go.

Second item is a red Pocket Kodak. 4 bids already, price now at AU$ 33, still 8 days to go.

A nice No. 1 Kodak stringset camera is for sale at a US auction. See catalog item #8. Auction closes at March 5th.

That's it for now. Coffee is waiting and after that I must try to pick up writing on my new detective novel.

What's going on

Several things are going on. First: my No. 4 Folding Kodet Junior arrived down under for a beauty treatment. The doctor already took it apart. I trust he knows how to put it all together again. Here's a pic.

Then there is the Folding Pocket Kodak, transitional model. It was sold for US$ 137,50 after 15 bids. Not really much, but it was for sale only in the US. Maybe the price would have been higher if the rest of the world could have joined the bidding.

I found a new interesting item on eBay: a Vest Pocket Kodak enlarging cone. I've seen them before and I don't know how rare they are, but it is a nice addition to a collection of VPK's. Six days to go and starting at AU$ 20.

Photos made with old Kodaks

The FPK that is on eBay now reminded me that I used such a camera a number of years ago to photograph some 'horse and carriage' day. It was an interesting experience to use a 1897 Folding Pocket Kodak in the field. The camera is very light and compact and really fits nicely in a coat pocket. The two little reflex finders are useless. The rest is simple: aim, press the button, turn the key.
I used 120 size roll film and I think that I had figured out a bit how to wind enough film for the next exposure and avoid exposing part of the previous photo.

I also updated the slide show of original old photos that were made with early Kodaks, which you can view on my website. I added one made with a C Ordinary or C Daylight camera and one with a No. 2 Stereo Brownie. There are 22 photos now. It is a nice little collection that gives an impression of the kind of results that could be expected from the early cameras. There are also some pics of photographers with their camera.

Early Folding Pocket Kodak

There's an interesting camera for sale at eBay, a early version of the Folding Pocket Kodak. It is not the rare very first version, but a transitional model. It meets five of the six criteria for a real first model FPK. Still it is a very fine addition to any collection of antique cameras. When it was introduced in August of 1897 it was one of the first really pocketable cameras with a acceptable (for snapshooters) picture size. Sometimes it is called the 'Adam' of the folding pocket cameras and I think this is true. After the FPK many folding cameras followed, produced by almost all companies, well into the 1950's or 60's. Read more on my site and in my (Dutch language) article.
The camera for sale is in good condition and only needs a bit of Venetian cream to restore the color of the body. (No, I am not selling it. It is a fine camera and I hope it gets a good home.)

Landscape and plant

Here's another example of a reflected landscape. I rotated the original photo, transfered it to black & white / sepia and added some old paper effect. The result is sinister, but I like it.

I had seen some dried out plants when I took the landscapes and I also photographed them, but I wasn't satisfied with the results. I went back yesterday when there was more sun and tried again. This time I am more pleased with the result. No tricks or funny stuff, just plain and pure photography.

Landscapes

Once in a while a take my working camera (Sony Alpha 700) and go out to try my luck. This weekend I felt the urge to do so. Here are two results. One is a more classic landscape, but it has the elements of what I like to do: searching for hidden landscapes, for a mysterious world that is there and at the same time is not there. This are the reflections in water, ice, glass. The second photo is an example of a reflexion in partially frozen water. I also applied some effects so that it is hardly recognizable as a photo.

Naked Kodaks, continued

There's a couple of naked Kodaks again on eBay. This time a No. 2 Bulls-eye and a No. 3 Bulls-eye.
 

Both are sold by the same seller, who, as I happen to know, has had naked Kodaks in the past. He's honest and tells that the leather was stripped off. Well, the result is pretty. Rather dull camera's are made into nice objects for the mantelpiece, with warm colored wood and shiny brass. OK, if that's what you want. Collectors of Kodaks or other old cameras don't buy things like this, I think. Or do they?

Not stripped of its coat is the No. 1 Panoram with leather case. A nice set, with one bid at the moment, at $ 0.99. Case is worn, but could be fixed with some TLC. Also interesting is a C Daylight Kodak that needs a large amount of TLC. Leather is missing on parts and the door of the film back and the pull string & knob are also missing. Starts at $ 9.99 (has reserve). Seller ships to the USA only. Bad luck for the large collecting community in the rest of the world (yes, there is a world outside of the USA!), but if you are interested you always can ask. It's a nice job for a restorer. I hope it doesn't end naked....