an old brass triplex lens and shutter – lot 469 in the Jan 25, 2026 PHSC Auction
Toronto. In the 1800s brass was often used to manufacture scientific instruments (like microscopes) as it was easy to machine, stable, and inexpensive.
A natural follow on was early small brass cameras and brass mounts for photographic lenses. More commonly the camera body was made of wood often with a leather bellows for focussing.
In our coming auction, lot 469 shown here is this wonderful old lens and shutter assembly attached to a small wooden lens board. At the lower right of the lens proper is a spring adjustment for changing the shutter speed. This suggests the lens setup was used on a dry plate field camera (perhaps).
Come down to our Feb 15, 2026 auction (IMPORTANT: OUR JAN 25th AUCTION WAS RESCHEDULED TO FEB 15th DUE TO BAD WEATHER) in southwest Toronto and see (and bid) the many lots of photographic collectibles and usables….
