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Rapid Rectilinear lenses from Mike Robinson’s collection

Toronto. A small subset of PHSC members who collect cameras also collect microscopes. For example, the late Ron Walker collected Zeiss cameras and old microscopes. At some point in time, I noted Chas. Potter (Toronto) as a microscope maker. Ron did some research on the establishment and suggested it was a retail operation that re-badged European or American microscopes, cameras, lenses etc., for sale.

A short while later the journal issue 26-1 carried an update to an issue 25-1 article. The 26-1 update is titled “Canadian Marked Lenses” and sets out to clarify Bill Belier’s column in 25-1 which discussed whether lenses in the 19th century were made here.

The update begins, “Bill Belier’s column in our May/June 1999 issue describing a lens with a Hearn & Harrison, Montreal marking, and Bob Wilson’s study of that optical company’s Canadian history, caused us to wonder what other lenses might similarly have Canadian markings.

“Andrew Birrell of the National Archives of Canada wrote in 1978: …there remains a yawning gap in information about the hardware supply industry in Canada. By this I mean the manufacture and sale of cameras, chemicals, plates, films and other photographic supplies.

“Naturally this industry never reached the proportions here that it did in the United States and Europe, but surely there must have been some inventive individuals or industrious types who attempted to make their fortunes in this fashion rather than taking photographs. We know of the efforts of John Connon, William Notman and James Inglis, but there must have been others. If readers know of any I would be delighted to hear of them.

“It is still unknown when it was first possible to purchase a camera that was commercially made in Toronto but Charles Potter and Augustus F. Potter, opticians and instrument dealers, advertised photographic apparatus for sale in the 1860s. It seems likely that Augustus was a camera manufacturer while Charles teamed up with William Hearn and supplied surveying equipment for the H.Y. Hind 1858 expedition to the Assiniboine and Saskatchewan districts.

“They could have made photo equipment as early as the 1850s but conclusive evidence is lacking. – Lilly Koltun. An advertisement in the August 1892 issue of The Canadian Photographic Journal indicates that C. Potter at 31 King Street East was selling off his cameras and Rapid Rectilinear lenses at less than cost. Was it the same Charles Potter closing out?

“In the same CPJ issue photo dealer Mulholland & Sharpe on Bay Street in their advertisement (pg. 165) list for sale a 5 x 8 camera, complete with holders, a Potter R.R. lens and shutter for a reduced price of $23.50. Such an inscribed lens would be a pleasure to locate today.” …

Members read all the update and viewed the illustrations in the 26-1 pdf file on the free members-only DVD/thumb drive. See above and at right to join. Any membership questions may be sent to member@phsc.ca.

Those searching for old lenses and microscopes should check our 2026 events. Confirmed events will be posted in the right hand sidebar. A post will be pinned up a few weeks before each event to provided details. Lots of old lenses (and the occasional microscope) pop up at our events.