Stereoscopic (?) Carlton TLR from an email. Courtesy of the auction house.
Toronto. … and there are boxes. Cameras – film and digital – follow a few specific designs. Perhaps the simplest and often cheapest is the box camera. The box dimensions (plus the lens) determine the format of the image while the box dimensions hold the sensitive material at one end and the lens(es), aperture, and shutter at the other. The lens is usually a simple affair with a modest full aperture allowing subjects from about 10 feet to infinity to be in focus in the early afternoon sun.
Unusual designs include special viewing screens like TLR, plate changing mechanisms, stereo capability, aperture adjustment, shutter adjustment, etc.
A friend and fellow PHSC member wrote in a recent email, “An unusual piece. Just sold at a Canadian auction house for $520 + 15% commission plus tax = approx $650 – ON-line with no inspection! There’s just a few references on line – uses 12 plates.
“RARE – 1894-1900 London Stereoscopic Box Camera
Stereoscopic Carlton 4 x 5 Box Camera TLR Camera – Recessed Lenses”. [NB please ignore the silly ads on the link! No mention of cameras but camera displayed on the auction site has the same Cheapside address.]
I was unable to verify this TLR box camera was made as a stereo camera. According to McKeown’s 11th edition, the London Stereoscopic & Photographic Co. rebadged imported and locally made cameras at a time when stereo was popular. While the camera has two lenses, one is likely also used for viewing (TLR bit) and the other for taking the image. Possibly the Carlton used both lenses for stereo, but I can find no confirmation. The lens use is a guess on my part.
