Lancaster makers of cameras

[Heartland]

Attached is an 1896 image of an advert published in and London & North Western Guide

 

[Stokkie]

J. Lancaster and Son, optician and camera maker, of Irving Street, Birmingham.

Made wooden view cameras, among them several cameras for smaller plate formats.

• The 1/4-plate Instantograph was one of the better known.
• A very special model was the Gem Apparatus of 1880, a camera with twelve lenses to shoot the same subject twelve times at once.

Lancaster made its own lenses and had patents for shutters. Other products were magic lanterns. When Lancaster made metal cameras, they were special ones ,such as the telescopic Patent Watch Camera in pocket watch format. Source: Grace's Guide

 

[Vivienne14]

They seem to have had quite a long history.


Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[mikejee]

From a link in another thread. A list of Lancaster cameras , and the information that the company was founded in 1835 and ceased trading in 1955.

https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Lancaster/

 

[Vivienne14]

Some background to the Lancaster family. Source: British Newspaper Archive

 

[toolate4regrets]

By 1900 Lancaster were the largest camera comany in the world, and the owner, William James lancaster is regarded as being the man who made amateur photography possible. The earliest record I have of them making cameras was from around 1854. Also if you fancy owning a Lancaster watch camera that @Stokkie mentioned, there is currently one on ebay at £41,470 (to be honest thats a fair price)

 

[Stokkie]

I think that Eastman Kodak might have had something to do with the development of amateur photography. "You Press the Button, We Do the Rest" The Kodak system enabled rolls to be sent away for development or handed to the chemist. Originally the entire camera was returned.

With a plate camera you have to develop the plate in the dark. Fantastic quality though, because of a big negative and easy to retouch.

 

[toolate4regrets]

I think that Eastman Kodak might have had something to do with the development of amateur photography. "You Press the Button, We Do the Rest" The Kodak system enabled rolls to be sent away for development or handed to the chemist. Originally the entire camera was returned.

With a plate camera you have to develop the plate in the dark. Fantastic quality though, because of a big negative and easy to retouch.

Before Lancaster, photography was still expensive and compicated, Lancaster put photography in the hands of 100s of 1000s of people before Kodak came over to the UK... also Kodak took the invention of Alexander Parkes in Birmingham and had better marketing than Pumphrey brothers of Birmingham, which helped Kodak become successful

 

[Stokkie]

Before Lancaster, photography was still expensive and compicated, Lancaster put photography in the hands of 100s of 1000s of people before Kodak came over to the UK... also Kodak took the invention of Alexander Parkes in Birmingham and had better marketing than Pumphrey brothers of Birmingham, which helped Kodak become successful

The history of photography isn't a development from one person or company, but a synthesis of many knowledges and inventions. I think more of us will have owned a Box Brownie than will have a Lancaster. I've developed 4x5 sheet film in trays in my bathroom and the process demands absolute darkness, expensive film and chemicals. I was happy to use a commercial dark room. I know Lancaster used dry plates, but did they ever use roll film backs?

 

[mikejee]

The history of photography isn't a development from one person or company, but a synthesis of many knowledges and inventions. I think more of us will have owned a Box Brownie than will have a Lancaster. I've developed 4x5 sheet film in trays in my bathroom and the process demands absolute darkness, expensive film and chemicals. I was happy to use a commercial dark room. I know Lancaster used dry plates, but did they ever use roll film backs?

From The British Journal Photographic almanac :



So it appears that they did

 

[Stokkie]

From The British Journal Photographic almanac :

View attachment 201731

So it appears that they did

Thanks Mike. Appreciated.