a Gordian Knot in photography

Clint’s Gordon Camera – photographed by Bob Lansdale in fall, 2009

Toronto. You may recall the story of the Gordian Knot in Greek Mythology. In a way the illusive Gordon camera was photography’s ‘Gordian Knot’. Issue 35-2 of our journal covers the saga and in fact uses the Gordon camera as its cover shot.

The article titled, “Yes Virginia there is a GORDON CAMERA” written by editor Bob Lansdale and future president Clint Hryhorijiw begins thusly, “Our quest, described in the June 2009 PHSC E-Mail Newsletter, to find a mysterious Gordon camera has produced positive results.

“Initially, all we had was a citation in a 1913 publication “Art and Photography” describing its availability for $2.50. For Canadians, it would be shipped from the “factory” near Toronto. But that could have been a hoax.

“At our PHSC Spring Fair we found an envelope of sensitized positive cards for the Gordon Camera; it bore the address of the Gordon Camera Corporation, 98-100 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. With that validation the hunt was on!”

Recent members received a DVD of the first 40 volumes of our journal. This includes issue 35-2 and the Gordon story. Not a member yet? You can easily become a member and read all the journal articles now on DVD. Just follow the instructions to the right.

 

This entry was posted in history and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.