Difference between revisions of "Appareil Dubroni"

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The '''Appareil Dubroni'''  is a camera for wet collodion plates, made by [[Dubroni|Maison Dubroni]] in Paris for a few years from about 1864. The smallest models are box cameras; the larger ones have a bellows front for focusing. The interior of the camera body is lined with glass (in the early models; indeed, McKeown states that the first cameras had no wooden sides, only an amber glass 'bottle'<ref name=McK>{{McKeown12}} p251-2.</ref>) and later porcelain, so that sensitization, development and fixing of each plate can be done inside the camera; this was the first camera to use such a system.<ref name=W1>[https://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=9717&_ssl=off#9717 Dubroni Photographie de Poche] outfit: camera (a No. 1, for 4 cm ''round'' exposures on 5 cm square plates) with Dubroni Petzval lens and amber glass interior lining, plates, chemical bottles, pipette and wooden outfit box, sold at the [https://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=8138&acat=8138&lang=3 November 2003 Westlicht Photographica Auction]; several excellent photographs.</ref> The chemical solutions were put into and out of the camera with a bulb pipette. In the smaller cameras there is a large red window in the back of the camera, with a swivelling metal cover (or a hinged wooden one in some models), so that operations inside the camera can be viewed.<ref name=EP>[http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C80.html Dubroni No. 1] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html Early Photography].</ref> McKeown states that the largest cameras have a detachable 'laboratory section' at the back.<ref name=McK/>
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The '''Appareil Dubroni'''  is a camera for wet collodion plates, made by [[Dubroni|Maison Dubroni]] in Paris for a few years from about 1864. The smallest models are box cameras; the larger ones have a bellows front for focusing. The interior of the camera body is lined with glass (in the early models; indeed, McKeown states that the first cameras had no wooden sides, only an amber glass 'bottle'<ref name=McK>{{McKeown12}} p251-2.</ref>) and later porcelain, so that sensitization, development and fixing of each plate can be done inside the camera; this was the first camera to use such a system.<ref name=W1>[http://www.auction2000.se/auk/w.Object?inC=WLPA&inA=4&inO=708 Dubroni Photographie de Poche] outfit: camera for 4 cm ''round'' exposures on 5 cm square plates, with Dubroni Petzval lens, sold at the [http://www.auction2000.se/auk/w.ObjectList?inSiteLang=&inC=WLPA&inA=4 fourth Westlicht Photographica Auction], in November 2003.</ref> The chemical solutions were put into and out of the camera with a bulb pipette. In the smaller cameras there is a large red window in the back of the camera, with a swivelling metal cover (or a hinged wooden one in some models), so that operations inside the camera can be viewed.<ref name=EP>[http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C80.html Dubroni No. 1] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html Early Photography].</ref> McKeown states that the largest cameras have a detachable 'laboratory section' at the back.<ref name=McK/>
  
 
The camera was invented by Jules Bourdin; "Dubroni" is an anagram of the name Bourdin; notes to an auction lot at Westlicht state that Bourdin's father did not want the family name associated with his invention.<ref name=W1/>
 
The camera was invented by Jules Bourdin; "Dubroni" is an anagram of the name Bourdin; notes to an auction lot at Westlicht state that Bourdin's father did not want the family name associated with his invention.<ref name=W1/>
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* No. 1, or '''Photographie de Poche''', for 4 cm ''round'' exposures on 5 cm square plates<ref name=W1/>
 
* No. 1, or '''Photographie de Poche''', for 4 cm ''round'' exposures on 5 cm square plates<ref name=W1/>
 
* No. 2, for 5x5 cm or 4.5x5 cm exposures
 
* No. 2, for 5x5 cm or 4.5x5 cm exposures
* No. 3, or '''Photographie de Salon''', for 7x9 cm ''oval'' exposures (very suitable for portraits)<ref>[http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=210848&_ssl=off#210848 Dubroni No. 3 outfit], near-complete, including a wooden tripod, sold at the [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=197084&acat=197084&lang=3 December 2010 Westlicht auction].</ref><ref>[https://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=9719&_ssl=off#9719 Dubroni No. 3] (camera only), sold at the November 2003 Westlicht auction.</ref><ref>[http://www.lecompendium.com/dossier_optique_55_appareil_photo_dubroni/appareil_photographique_dubroni.htm Dubroni No. 3] (camera only, but with a clear photograph of the glass lining), at Albert Balasse's [http://www.lecompendium.com/ Le Compendium] (text in French).</ref>
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* No. 3, or '''Photographie de Salon''', for 7x9 cm ''oval'' exposures (very suitable for portraits)<ref>[http://www.auction2000.se/auk/w.Object?inC=WLPA&inA=18&inO=532 Dubroni No. 3 outfit], near-complete, including a wooden tripod, sold at the [http://www.auction2000.se/auk/w.ObjectList?inSiteLang=&inC=WLPA&inA=18 eighteenth Westlicht auction], in December 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.auction2000.se/auk/w.Object?inC=WLPA&inA=4&inO=709 Dubroni No. 3] (camera only), sold at the November 2003 Westlicht auction.</ref><ref>[http://www.lecompendium.com/dossier_optique_55_appareil_photo_dubroni/appareil_photographique_dubroni.htm Dubroni No. 3] (camera only, but with a clear photograph of the glass lining), at Albert Balasse's [http://www.lecompendium.com/ Le Compendium] (text in French).</ref>
 
* No. 4, with a bellows, for 10 cm-long plates.
 
* No. 4, with a bellows, for 10 cm-long plates.
 
* No. 5, with a bellows and detachable 'laboratory' section, for 15 cm-long plates.
 
* No. 5, with a bellows and detachable 'laboratory' section, for 15 cm-long plates.

Revision as of 14:19, 7 June 2013

The Appareil Dubroni is a camera for wet collodion plates, made by Maison Dubroni in Paris for a few years from about 1864. The smallest models are box cameras; the larger ones have a bellows front for focusing. The interior of the camera body is lined with glass (in the early models; indeed, McKeown states that the first cameras had no wooden sides, only an amber glass 'bottle'[1]) and later porcelain, so that sensitization, development and fixing of each plate can be done inside the camera; this was the first camera to use such a system.[2] The chemical solutions were put into and out of the camera with a bulb pipette. In the smaller cameras there is a large red window in the back of the camera, with a swivelling metal cover (or a hinged wooden one in some models), so that operations inside the camera can be viewed.[3] McKeown states that the largest cameras have a detachable 'laboratory section' at the back.[1]

The camera was invented by Jules Bourdin; "Dubroni" is an anagram of the name Bourdin; notes to an auction lot at Westlicht state that Bourdin's father did not want the family name associated with his invention.[2]

The camera was made in six sizes, the larger ones only made after the small sizes had established the success of the camera:[1][3]

  • No. 1, or Photographie de Poche, for 4 cm round exposures on 5 cm square plates[2]
  • No. 2, for 5x5 cm or 4.5x5 cm exposures
  • No. 3, or Photographie de Salon, for 7x9 cm oval exposures (very suitable for portraits)[4][5][6]
  • No. 4, with a bellows, for 10 cm-long plates.
  • No. 5, with a bellows and detachable 'laboratory' section, for 15 cm-long plates.
  • No. 6, with a bellows and detachable 'laboratory' section, for 18x24 cm plates.

Early Photography shows a No. 1 camera in some detail, and explains the processing sequence.[3]

Dubroni also made more conventional cameras.


Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). p251-2.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dubroni Photographie de Poche outfit: camera for 4 cm round exposures on 5 cm square plates, with Dubroni Petzval lens, sold at the fourth Westlicht Photographica Auction, in November 2003.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Dubroni No. 1 at Early Photography.
  4. Dubroni No. 3 outfit, near-complete, including a wooden tripod, sold at the eighteenth Westlicht auction, in December 2010.
  5. Dubroni No. 3 (camera only), sold at the November 2003 Westlicht auction.
  6. Dubroni No. 3 (camera only, but with a clear photograph of the glass lining), at Albert Balasse's Le Compendium (text in French).


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