Wet Plate Camera Photos

8.5" x 6.5" Wet Plate Camera, possibly an Anthony Climax Multiplying camera , ca. 1889?
~ 210mm Darlot F11 lens (pending FL verification)
The Darlot lens is marked BF & Co with a serial # "No.16002."
No manufacturer identification is on the camera body that I can find. There is a Packard-like shutter mounted on the lensboard with three patent dates the latest of which is 1889. This could have been mounted later though.

Frontal view with lensboard removed

Darlot Lensmount

Darlot detail, BF & Co is on the opposite side of the barrel.

The glass is pretty clean with no scratches or fungus and only slight separation on the front element. The Aperture diameters are 5mm, 10mm, 15mm and 20mm. I measured the FL at approximately 210mm by focusing on a distant tree and measuring the distance from the aperture disk to the film plane.

The backside of the lensboard showing the shutter and patent dates.

Rear view showing Mulitplying back with sliding carriage for making multiple exposures on one plate. Movement is sideways and vertical with spring pins registered to brass rods in camera side and top. These rods are numbered corresponding to a number on the mask and provide for accurate registration for various sized images on one plate. There are no other camera movements.

Rear view of camera

View of sideways registration pin and registration rod (at top)

Plate Carriage shown elevated to top position with right-most shift.

Plate Carriage shown elevated to top position with left-most shift. Also, note the focus lock knob and handle for moving the rear to focus. There are no other adjustments.

This is a detail of the elevation pin register and its registration rod. Notice the number at the top of the rod that corresponds to the mask size.

The story behind the camera:
I found this camera in an antique store in Walnut, Iowa while on our way home from our trip west to the Dakotas. After our find in Wonewoc, we stopped and put our noses in just about every small antique store we came across.

I am looking for wet plate holders for use on this camera. The size is 8.5"x6.5". If you know of any available, please contact me via email. Thanks, Ed

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