E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. Victor Half Plate Camera, Brass Fittings Variation, With 8 Inch Rapid Rectilinear Lens Circa 1891 - 1897

            Circa 1891 - 1897
E. & H.T. Anthony & Co. Victor Half Plate Camera Version 1 (Brass Fittings) With 8 Inch Rapid Rectilinear (1 5/8” Dia.) Lens Suspected to Be Bausch & Lomb Velox Rectilinear Lens No. 3, (Circa 1893/4 – 1897)

The victor camera was introduced in 1891 and was made / was available until circa 1897.  The design is a rack and pinion front and rear focusing (two gear tracks on top of base rails); single swing, and reversing by two tripod mounts. Construction materials are mahogany or Circassian walnut body; mahogany or walnut base; black fabric bellows; brass hardware. There appear to have been two variations;

•Variation 1 has brass hardware and a bulky spring back. 
•Variation 2 has nickeled hardware and a lower profile spring back.  

The Victor camera was made in 6 plate sizes from 4x5 to 8x10 (Sizes Offered: 4x5; 4¼x6½; 5x7; 5x8; 6½x8½; 8x10). It was sold with one Eclipse Plate Holder, a canvas carrying case, but no lens. It was also sold as a kit with the above items as well as “a fine achromatic lens” and Triplex tripod.  The camera/plate holder/case combination sold for $11.00 while the set (with lens and tripod) sold for $16.00 with not price change over the years it was available, even though the prices of plate holder dropped by early 50% in price. It is also interesting to note that the Eclipse holder was not listed as being made in a 4x5 format in their catalogs.

The example in this collection may possibly have the Eclipse plate holder that was originally sold with the camera. If this is the case, then the camera likely would have been purchased without a lens. If it had been purchased as a complete set, then the lens supplied would have been the Anthony’s Single Combination Lens No. 2 for 5x8” plate coverage, which this example does not have.

In the catalog text describing the Victor camera outfit, it states that the camera is supplied with a "fine single achromatic lens". Elsewhere in the catalog, there is a listing for the Anthony's Single Combination Lens which looks visually identical to the lens shown with the camera pictured in the Victor Outfit. Further, a web example of the early version Victor Camera was found showing this identical lens.

The lens purchased with the camera lacks any markings but it is a Rapid Rectilinear lens design. It has a symmetrical pair of cemented achromatic doublets. The outer lens elements of the two lens groups are concave meniscus lens elements, the inner lens elements are convex meniscus lens elements.

The diameter of the front/rear lens elements in this collection is 1 5/8 Inch and superficial testing has shown it has the coverage for the 4¼” x 6½” format with movements.  

This lens is believed to be an unbranded Velox Rectilinear Lens No. 3 lens cover 6 ½ x 8 ½ inch and has a lens dia. of 1 5/8 which appear match the specifications of the lens in this collection. 

It seems that the B&L Velox Rectilinear Lens may have only been available c.1893/4 to 1897, which would agree with the general time period of the camera (circa 1891 - 1897). The belief that the lens in this collection is in fact than example of the B&L lens is based on the catalog’s description of the lens, as well as a direct comparison to the lens mount used in the B&L Extra Rapid Rectilinear and other B&L lenses of the period. Unfortunately this author has yet to find an actual picture of the B&L Velox rectilinear lens to confirm the identity of the lens. 

TPHC Item No. 20211017_06_01 and 20211017_06_03

Taken on: June 3, 2023

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