Plavic

It was believed that Plavic was a French brand of camera bodies as well for the lens and shutters, but this is not exactly true. The traces of Plavic are in the catalog of Photo-Plait 1919. The actual name of the manufacturer is Planchon Cellulose Corporation in Lyon. Their production is limited to the cellulose films and maybe printing papers and photographic chemicals. The problem with Plavic is that this brand has never made cameras. The cameras named Plavic made by other manufacturers and Plavic completed its offers by including cameras to their catalog. They seem few and have been circulated before or around the 1930. The shutters in Plavic cameras were named Plavicos but it was made by Gitzo.[1]

As to McKeown's Price Guide to Antique & Classic cameras: "The company was founded by Victor Planchon, Boulogne & Lyon, France. Hirlemann & Moreau (later Héard & Mallinjod) made a 6x9cm and 9x12cm folding plate cameras in c.1920-28 under the Hemax label. After those dates some Hemax cameras are found under the PLAVIC label (PLAnchon VICtor). Victor Planchon collaborated with the Lumiere brothers in fabricating the first films for the Cinematographe in Boulogne-sur-mer and later in Lyon. He became director of the Lumiere factory in the Lyon suburb of Feysin where he made and distributed films with Lumiere emulsions under the name Plavic. For some, he also sold Plavic cameras in 9x12cm, 6x9cm sizes, before these became Lumiere cameras."

AFAIK, There is no information about the manufacturers of the Plavic marked lenses. Plavic marked cameras were Pliant 127 and 6x9 folders and Le Plavico De Luxe 6x9 Box camera, Plavic 9x12 plate camera and they were same cameras of other brands.

--Dr.Süleyman Demir 07:05, 10 February 2011 (PST)

This Plavic 9x12 plate folder camera (c.1930) is exactly the same camera as much as in very fine details and lens with Héard & Mallinjod Hémax folder plate serie 00) image by Süleyman Demir {{ (Image rights)}}

Plavic 9x12 plate folder camera image by Süleyman Demir {{ (Image rights)}}

Gitzo shutter and Plavic lens image by Süleyman Demir {{ (Image rights)}}

Plavic image by Süleyman Demir {{ (Image rights)}}

Cameras

• "Pliant" 127 folder
• "Pliant" 6x9 folder
• "Le Plavico De Luxe 6x9" box
• "Plavic" 9x12 plate folder

Links

• [2]
• Plavic folder made by Gitzo, at Sylvain Halgand's collection [3]
• Plavic page at Collection G. Even's site