c1900 Kodak 1A camera
Toronto. When dry plates came along, cameras required a shutter to snap a fraction of a second exposure in sunlight. The late Stan White picked up a Kodak 1A along the way and experimented with it. The Bulb setting allowed the shutter to remain open as long as the release was depressed. The ‘time’ or Instantaneous setting was about 1/25th of a second – great for use on bright, sunny, afternoons.
Stan talks about his find as follows, “My interest is not in collecting antique cameras as much as finding out how well they fulfill their intended purpose. I picked up the Kodak the No. 1A Folding Pocket Kodak Camera in an antique mall.
“This is the last of a series of pull-out front, roll film cameras that appeared in 1897 and went through numerous minor changes until it was discontinued after 1905. The 1A was enlarged from the original 2-1/4” x 3-1/4” to take 2-1/2” x 4-1/4” exposures – particularly adaptable to broad landscape views… and to portraiture as Kodak literature states.
“My camera was fully functional but needed a couple of hours clean up to bring it to “excellent” condition. The construction is unusual: the interior is machined from hardwood while the body itself is made of aluminum, covered in black seal grain leather and completed with a red bellows.
“Simple spring-loaded scissors hold the pull-out front rigidly in place. The two viewfinders are simple mirror type and accurate. There is no tripod bush but the wings on the front standard allow the camera to be set down horizontal on a flat surface. Used vertically there is an adjustable notched rod that supports the front.” …
Members of course read all of Stan’s article in the issue 24-4 pdf file on the free members-only DVD/memory stick. You can join too. It’s easy! Follow ‘MEMBERSHIP’ above or ‘Membership’ at right (depends on how you pay). Questions? Email Lilianne at member@phsc.ca.
Visit one of our 2025 Events (see right) and you may find a 1A for your collection (or perhaps another camera, lens, book, etc.). Up next is our fall camera fair in October!
NB. Today I’m a piano and the ivories need a small touchup too …
