Le Furet
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Le Furet (French: the Ferret) is an early camera for 24×37.5 mm pictures on 35 mm film, in 25-exposure spools,[1] made in about 1923 in Paris.[2] McKeown lists the maker as E. Guerin & Compagnie; two examples at Westlicht are stamped E. Guerin, C. Pingault & Compagnie.[3][4]
The camera is compact, measuring 86×48×46 mm;[1] it has a metal body, covered with leather. The lens is mounted in a plated brass superstructure on the front. The arrangement of the lens and shutter varies between types:
- An advertisement reproduced at Collection d'Appareils[1] refers to a single-speed model with an f/4.5 Hermagis lens (i.e. it has a simple 'I' and 'B' shutter; this one is illustrated in the advertisement, and is also the one pictured in McKeown[2]);
- The same advertisement refers to a three-speed model. A three-speed camera, with a Berthiot f/4.5 lens is shown at Westlicht,[3] with an estimated date of 1923, but has different styling to the camera shown in the advertisement, especially the machined advance and rewind keys.
The advertisement states that the camera is fixed-focus, but that unscrewing the lens allows focusing to below 2.5 metres.[1]
- Another example at Westlicht has a 40 mm f/3.5 Hermagis Anastigmat Lynx lens, in a Compur shutter with speeds 1 - 1/300 second, plus 'B'. This has helical unit focusing, scaled to 0.75 metre.[4]
There is a folding reverse-Galilean viewfinder on the top, with cross-hairs in the front glass.
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Advertisement for Le Furet, showing picture of single-speed model, at Collection d'Appareils.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 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). p372.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Le Furet with three-speed shutter and Berthiot f/4.5 lens, sold at the [November 2007 Westlicht Auction].
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Le Furet from about 1932 with Compur shutter (described as the 3rd type), with Hermagis 40 mm f/3.5 (aperture scaled on the shutter only to f/6.3, so some parts, or the whole shutter, may have been exchanged); a lot at the November 2011 Westlicht Photographica Auction in Vienna.
