Mentor Dreivier
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| Mentor Dreivier 3x4cm image by yalluflex (Image rights) |
The Mentor Dreivier (German: three-four) is a viewfinder camera for 3x4 cm pictures on 127 rollfilm, made by Mentor (Goltz & Breutmann) in Dresden in about 1930. It is probably the smallest camera made by Mentor, who were better known for box-form SLR cameras. The few examples seen at Westlicht all have either an f/3.5 or f/4.5 CZJ Tessar and a Compur shutter to 1/300 second, with helical scale-focusing to about 1 metre.[1][2][3] The camera was also available with an f/2.8 Tessar, or a Leitz f/3.5 Elmar[4] or f/2.5 Hektor[5] or Elmax.[6]
Some examples have a folding table-stand on the right-hand side of the front of the body, allowing the camera to stand on its end on a level surface (for horizontal pictures).[1][2] McKeown states that the earliest cameras do not have this, and shows a picture of what appears to be the third cited example at Westlicht,[3] as an example of this 'early model'; however, the serial number of this example is in the middle of the range of those cited; there are cameras with the table stand with both higher and lower serial numbers.
There is a reverse-Galilean viewfinder on the top.
  
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| Mentor Kamerafabrik Goltz & Breutmann, Mentor Dreivier 3x4cm, Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar f3.5/5cm lens Images by yalluflex. (Image rights) |
| German, French & Italian Cameras using 127 film | |||
| G e r m a n y |
3×4 | rigid | Dreivier | Futuro | Gewirette | Kolibri Parvola | Pupille | Ranca | Reporter | Puck |
| folding | Baby Ikonta | Baldi | Dolly | Goldi Gucki | Ingo | Korelle | Makinette Metharette | Perkeo | Vollenda | ||
| 4x4 | Navax | Paxina Electromatic | Rothlar | ||
| 4x6.5 | Bella | Billy | Bob | Dolly | Goldi Gucki | Korelle | Panta | Parvola Piccolette | Rio | Ultrix | ||
| TLR | see German TLRs | ||
| F r a n c e |
3×4 | rigid | Fotobaby | Lynx | Super-Boy |
| folding | Derby-Lux | Elax | ||
| pseudo TLR | Auteuil | Longchamp | ||
| 4×4 | rigid | Impera | Marly | Pari-Fex | Rubi-Fex | Top | |
| 4×6.5 | rigid | Photo-Magic | |
| I t a l y |
3x4 | Comet | Comet III | Cometa | Euralux Ibis | Maxima | Piccolo | Tanit | |
| 4x4 | Comet | Euralux | Ibis | ||
| 4x6.5 & other | Alfa | Delta | Relex | Rolet | Rondine | ||
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Dreivier serial no. 55038, with 5 cm f/3.5 Tessar, sold at the ninth Westlicht Photographica Auction, on 20 May 2006.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dreivier serial no. 55065, with f/3.5 Tessar, sold at the eleventh Westlicht auction, on 26 May 2007.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dreivier serial no. 55374, with an f/4.5 Tessar (the listing note gives f/3,5, but it is clearly an f/4.5), and without a folding table stand, sold at the first Westlicht auction, on 15 November 2002.
- ↑ Dreivierserial no. 55604, with 5 cm f/3.5 Elmar, sold at Christie's in London in November 2002.
- ↑ Dreivier serial no. 55532, with 5 cm f/2.5 Hektor, sold at Christie's in September 1999.
- ↑ 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). p658-9.
Links
- Other examples sold at Christie's:
- Serial no. 55341, with a 5 cm f/3.5 CZJ Tessar, sold at Christie's in January 2001.
- Serial no. 55662, with a 5 cm f/3.5 Leitz Elmar, sold in August 1998 (no picture).
- Serial no. '142' (perhaps 55142?), with an Elmar, sold in January 1996 (no picture).
- Dreivier (serial no. not given) with a 5 cm f/2.5 Leitz Hektor, sold in October 1994 (no picture).
- Dreivier serial no. 55350, sold at LP Foto Auktioner at their Auction 41 in April 2012.
