Pocket Monroe
The Pocket Monroe No. 2 was one of the unique camera designs of Monroe Camera Company Rochester. It was designed by Silas French. Together with Albert Beir, co-founder and vice-president of Monroe, he received a patent on this camera construction in 1897. The camera consists of the front, carrying lens, shutter, aperture and viewfinder, the back, containing the plate holder, the characteristic filigreed expanding bars construction, and the bellows. The bars fold completely into the flanges of back and front so that the camera is a quite compact item when folded. The back holds a brass cartridge for two 3.5x3.5" plates which is of only a quarter of an inch thickness, an improvement compared to contemporary wooden plate holders. The front is made of two wooden plates, the shutter located in between. Three apertures are selectable. In the top of the camera front is a reflecting type viewfinder with lens, mirror and matte screen. When opened the camera measures 5 3/8" long x 4 1/4" wide x 4 3/8" high and weighs 9.6 ounces (271 g). Its length shrinks to 1 3/8" when it is folded. The patent date is imprinted on the cartridge and the wood of the front's frame.
Links
- patent for Silas French and Albert Beir, May 18th, 1897 at Google patent search [1]
