photography for squares

Posted on March 3, 2020 by Robert

Yashika-Mat in March 15 2020 auction

Toronto. From the beginning of photography prints were either landscape or portrait (i.e. rectangular). A full-plate was 8.5 x 6.5 inches.

Then in the 1930s along came the famous Rollei twin lens reflex (TLR) with one viewing lens and one taking lens plus a negative with a square dimension of 6 x 6 cm. Prints could be left square or cropped either landscape or portrait! A new world was dawning! And like some other cameras, pictures were taken at waist level offering a different perspective at times.

Many makers copied the Rollei after the war. One was Yashika with its Yashika-Mat. If your collection lacks a TLR, you can pick one up at our March 15th Auction. In fact if you want to add to your collection of photographica, or user gear, be it film or digital, then drop in anyway! Remember both admission and parking are free… and what better way to spend a spring Sunday than with the ambience of like-minded folk and good food? See you there!

 

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a Leica to be remembered

Posted on March 2, 2020 by Robert

1932 Leica Standard

Toronto. My good friend and PHSC member, Celio Barreto, sent along this February 21st article from Kosmo Foto, “The WW2 Leica buried by a German soldier’s widow” The Leica in question is a rare 1932 Standard model.

In prior years, unconverted Leica cameras (including  the leaf shuttered model “b”s) had a fixed 5cm lens with a “hockey stick” shaped infinity stop on the body. In 1932, Leica made  a model with interchangeable lenses. As the distance from film to lens at the time was not standardized, each extra lens was sold with the camera and engraved with the last three digits of the camera body it was intended to fit for an accurate and consistent rangefinder setting.

Late the same year, the film to lens distance was standardized at 28.8mm making any camera body made thereafter and any lens interchangeable. When the bayonet M series arrived post war, it had a thicker body BUT a 1mm shorter film to lens distance of 27.8mm giving rise to the rings that allowed screw-mount lenses to fit M mount cameras.

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of stone is exhibited

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Robert

Steven Evans does an exhibition of his work at the Hello Gallery.  March 20 – April 14, 2020
Reception March 19th

Toronto. Member Steven Evans went out to the country side and took a series of photographs that are the focus of an exhibition in this city beginning this month.

Steven writes “After 40 years of photographing urban environments, I recently strayed out into the countryside to further explore the relationship between people and the places they live and work.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to share some of this new work with you. My most recent collection, on view at Helio Gallery in Toronto, is titled de Pedra (of Stone) and focuses on the central and northern regions of Portugal where the locally sourced stone is employed in vernacular and religious architecture, art, roads and terraced farm fields.

“Crumbling huts, sturdy drystone walls, light-filled renaissance cloisters, intricately carved effigies and mysterious elevated granaries all reveal an ancient, intimate and persistent connection between people and their environment.”

Click on the icon above, left for a poster detailing the exhibition. Come out and enjoy the fine work of one of our members!

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… deja vu all over again.

Posted on February 29, 2020 by Robert

Holmes Stereo Viewers

Toronto. Exclaimed Yogi Berra, the NY Yankees’ master of mangled metaphors. He may have been referring to our auctions – or the lot with the box of stereo viewers (every collection needs at least one Holmes Stereo Viewer).

If your collection is missing one, drop in at our March 15, 2020 auction and remedy the situation. This lot of viewers is just one of many with enticing goodies for the collector or camera user – film or digital!

As a little boy, I once visited the nearby farm of a relative. I was led to a soft, comfy living room chair and given a strange looking device while the adults chatted in another room. Next to the chair was a table holding a basket-full of photos on stiff, slightly curved cards, two images per card. An aunt (?) showed me how to place a card in viewing position and adjust the focus to my young eyes. To my wonder, black and white scenes appeared in striking stereo! I spent the rest of the visit in that chair admiring each stereo view.

Remember, this was before television, when home entertainment usually meant  books or radio plus the odd magazine. Sadly, most newspapers and magazines had few articles of the slightest interest to a youngster. On a farm like that of my relatives, books and magazines were few in those days. And any 78 r.p.m. music records were for adults to dance to when the records were placed on an old wind-up Victrola machine. Ahh, such an idyllic time when we were young and carefree!

When I saw this lot of viewers, it was … deja view all over again.

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discovering blackness

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Robert

Martinique Women c1890

Toronto. Almost missed Black History Month (February). Mea Culpa. The AGO has a self-guided tour called Discovering Blackness in and out of the vault.  The self-tour begins tonight from 5 to 9 pm.

Typical of the photographs, is the one at the left of this post. The cut-line reads, “Unknown, Martinique Woman, c.1890. Albumen print, 15 x 11cm. Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs.

“Purchased with funds from Dr. Liza & Dr. Frederick Murrell, Bruce Croxon & Debra Thier, Wes Hall & Kingsdale Advisors, Cindy & Shon Barnett, Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Kamala-Jean Gopie, Phil Lind & Ellen Roland, Martin Doc McKinney, Francilla Charles, Ray & Georgina Williams, Thaine & Bianca Carter, Charmaine Crooks, Nathaniel Crooks, Andrew Garrett & Dr. Belinda Longe, Neil L. Le Grand, Michael Lewis, Dr. Kenneth Montague & Sarah Aranha, Lenny & Julia Mortimore, and The Ferrotype Collective, 2019”.

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raising value

Posted on February 28, 2020 by Robert

these cameras are part of the March auction items

Toronto. Collecting photographica a half century ago was relatively inexpensive.  Few cameras were valued highly. Many bargains turned up in garage sales. Few books were available on the history of photography or cameras. There was no Ebay. No internet. One member in the early 1970s, owner of the Magic Lantern store on Queen West, said he went throughout Southern Ontario visiting every photoshop and studio to buy up any old photos they had. All stock for his store and his tables at the fair.

One thing became obvious, though. Cameras were saved but not the original packaging or instructions. Finding an old camera with its original box and papers raised its value making even inexpensive cameras more valuable – often the box or instructions were worth more than the camera itself to avid collectors.

Today, the peak interest in cameras has faded, there are books galore, and tons of internet sites making research far easier. Also, as cameras changed hands many times, they increased in market value. If you like the modest cameras shown here and their boxes, come to our mid March auction on Sunday the 15th in the Legion Hall in Long Branch where they will go under the hammer – remember there is no charge, free parking, food and beverages, and the ambience and camaraderie of fellow photographers and collectors. What could be better?

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splish, splash, flash

Posted on February 27, 2020 by Robert

flash bulbs and guns at March auction

Toronto. In the mid last century, these bulbs and guns were all the rage. They were replaced by cheap electronic flashguns that also went through changes. The mid blue coating on the bulbs allowed outdoor colour film to be used indoors with the correct white balance vs. the overly warm effect of incandescent lighting.

Flash allowed photos by amateurs at night and indoors in relative safety (compared to the flash powder of  the 19th century and the consequences of excess powder being ignited).

Be sure to visit our auction on Sunday, March 15th, 2020 for these and other lots to add to your collection or let you burst out in digital or film photography!

Today, we see a tiny LED flash on our smartphones sending out a bright burst of light to illuminate an otherwise dim scene.

Note: the name of this post is a riff off the song by Bobby Darin mid last century…

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the case of the glassy-eyed collector …

Posted on February 26, 2020 by Robert

Dry Plates in auction

Toronto. On a Sunday in mid March, the glassy-eyed collector staggered into a legion hall deep in the far SW corner of the big smoke. His bleary eyes cast around the room and to his amazement he saw that he was surrounded by photographica!

In the middle of this cornucopia of delights was a forest of chairs while the back wall appeared to be a stage with microphone, auctioneer, video camera, and screen.

He thrilled as he spotted a bunch of glass plates, all neatly boxed as if they came from a store in the late 1800s.

Well, that is a nice tale, but there really are glass plates in our March 15, 2020 auction. Plates and so many other photographic treats for your collection or use. Be sure to come down to Long Branch on Sunday, March 15th – and bring lots of dollars 🙂

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snap, snap. snap, snapshot

Posted on February 25, 2020 by Robert

1961 Ad for speed and simplicity

Toronto. Post World War 2, American photography companies worked hard to capture a segment of the amateur photography market. The most popular strategies were flash (for night and indoor shots), Colour (for realism), fast results (seeing how a shot turned out), and simplicity (ease of use but good results).

In ads, like this one on page 78 in Life magazine’s October 27, 1961 issue, Polaroid chose to emphasize fast results (10 seconds) and simplicity. Skip colour or indoor photos – just look at the speed and simplicity!

I well remember the time. Colour meant slides. Color prints were available but offered very poor resolution compared to slides or B&W shots. Light meters helped a bit but experience was much better. And unless you could do your own processing, results took a week or two.

Today, smartphones and computers make such objectives as speed and simplicity both whimsical and historical. Speaking of which, check out our March 15, 2020 auction for Polaroid gear and other nostalgic photographica.

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picture me, picture you, picture auntie Sue

Posted on February 24, 2020 by Robert

Cabinet Card Album from mid to late 1800s

Toronto. We all have family photos.  Once  photo prices fell in the mid 1800s, CDVs were all the rage. When the market became saturated, studios moved to larger cards like the Cabinet cards.

Albums became the way to hold and file CDV and larger likenesses. When we moved to gelatin prints from the curl prone albumen prints, albums with black pages and black corner tabs took over. Those without an album, used an old shoe box, or a buffet drawer.

Modern days the photos are full colour and reside in a computer or smartphone as digital files ready to be shared electronically.

Shown is a mid to late 1800s album for cabinet cards. If your collection lacks one, or one this beautiful, drop by our March 15th auction. This album will be in the bidding!

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