Difference between revisions of "Sinclair"

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|image_text= Advertisement for the aluminium Traveller Una and other<br/>Sinclair products, ''Photograpms of the Year'', 1938.<br/><small>Scan by {{Image author|Dirk HR Spennemann}}</small>
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|image_text= Advertisement for the aluminium Traveller Una and other<br/>Sinclair products, ''Photograms of the Year'', 1938.<br/><small>Scan by {{Image author|Dirk HR Spennemann}}</small>
 
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'''James A. Sinclair & Company Ltd''' was a camera-maker in London from about 1904.<ref name=EPCoDetails>[http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/companies3.html#sinclair Sinclair company information] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html Early Photography].</ref> Sinclair himself was at one time an employee of [[Adams & Co.|Adams]] before setting up his own firm. Sinclair was also involved in [[Arthur Samuel Newman|Newman]] & Sinclair, at the same time as Sinclair & Co. was operating independently. N&S made (among other products) shutters, which are seen on many of Sinclair's cameras. Sinclair also retailed photographic goods of other makers.
 
'''James A. Sinclair & Company Ltd''' was a camera-maker in London from about 1904.<ref name=EPCoDetails>[http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/companies3.html#sinclair Sinclair company information] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html Early Photography].</ref> Sinclair himself was at one time an employee of [[Adams & Co.|Adams]] before setting up his own firm. Sinclair was also involved in [[Arthur Samuel Newman|Newman]] & Sinclair, at the same time as Sinclair & Co. was operating independently. N&S made (among other products) shutters, which are seen on many of Sinclair's cameras. Sinclair also retailed photographic goods of other makers.
  
Sinclair is best-known for the '''Una''' series of wooden-bodied folding plate cameras in various sizes, including tropical models, and the ''aluminium''-bodied '''Traveller Una''', pictured here in a contemporary advertisement.<ref name=McK>{{McKeown12}} p895.</ref>
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Sinclair is best-known for the '''Una''' series of wooden-bodied folding plate cameras in various sizes between 2½x3½ inch (6.5x9 cm) and 5x7 inch,<ref>[http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/entry_C371.html#Una Notes on the Una range] at [http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/index.html Early Photography].</ref> including tropical models, and the ''aluminium''-bodied '''Traveller Una''', pictured here in a contemporary advertisement.<ref name=McK>{{McKeown12}} p895.</ref>
 
 
  
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|image_text= Traveller Una
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|image_by= Ross Dunn
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==Notes==
 
==Notes==
 
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===Examples seen at auction===
 
===Examples seen at auction===
* [http://westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=26734&_ssl=off#26734 6.5x9 cm Tropical Una], about 1915, mahogany with brass binding and fittings, with Ross lens and Newman & Sinclair 'Perfect' shutter, sold at the [http://westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=25201&acat=25201&offset=2&lang=3 November 2004 Westlicht Photographica Auction] in Vienna. There are focus scales on both sides of the bed; it is probable that the lens is a [[combinable lens]], as referred to in the advertisement illustrated, and fitted on the Traveller example below; one of the scales shows focus for one lens component used alone as an 8-inch long-focus lens. There is a small Watson viewfinder on the bed, and front-rear and left-right spirit levels on the front standard. The camera has front rise and tilt.
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* [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/James-Sinclair-Co.-The-Una-Camera-Tropical/AI-6-23964 2½x3½ inch (6.5x9 cm) Tropical Una], about 1915, mahogany with brass binding and fittings, with Ross lens and Newman & Sinclair 'Perfect' shutter, sold at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-6/ sixth Westlicht Photographica Auction], in November 2004. There are focus scales on both sides of the bed; it is probable that the lens is a [[combinable lens]], as referred to in the advertisement illustrated, and fitted on the Traveller example below; one of the scales shows focus for one lens component used alone as an 8-inch long-focus lens. There is a small Watson viewfinder on the bed, and front-rear and left-right spirit levels on the front standard. The camera has front rise and tilt.
* [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=211057&_ssl=off#211057 4x5 inch Tropical Una No. 2], about 1920,  with 7¼-inch f/4.5 Ross Xpres, sold at the [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=197084&acat=197084&offset=2&lang=3 December 2010 Westlicht auction]. Rack-and-pinion focus on the bed, with an ivory focus scale to two yards, with depth-of-field markings (the camera has triple extension, so could focus rather closer). There is a seperate infinity mark for use with a telephoto attachment.  There are levels (by [[Taylor-Hobson|Taylor, Taylor & Hobson]]) on the standard. The camera has no shutter (as shown; the lens may have been exchanged), and no viewfinder other than the ground glass.
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* [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Sinclair-Tropical-Nr.2-Una-Tropical/AI-18-11674 4x5 inch Tropical Una No. 2], about 1920,  with 7¼-inch f/4.5 Ross Xpres, sold at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-18/ eighteenth Westlicht auction], in December 2010. Rack-and-pinion focus on the bed, with an ivory focus scale to two yards, with depth-of-field markings (the camera has triple extension, so could focus rather closer). There is a seperate infinity mark for use with a telephoto attachment.  There are levels (by [[Taylor-Hobson|Taylor, Taylor & Hobson]]) on the standard. The camera has no shutter (as shown; the lens may have been exchanged), and no viewfinder other than the ground glass.
* [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=218299&_ssl=off#218299 4x5 inch Tropical Una No. 2] with Dallmeyer Stigmatic series II lens and behind-the-lens telephoto attachment, sold at the [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=215786&acat=215786&offset=3&lang=3 May 2011 Westlicht auction]. This example has no focus scale or levels, but is otherwise similar to the camera above.
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* [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Sinclair-Tropical-Nr.2-Una-Tropical/AI-19-12860 4x5 inch Tropical Una No. 2] with Dallmeyer Stigmatic series II lens and behind-the-lens telephoto attachment, sold at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-19/ nineteenth Westlicht auction], in May 2011. This example has no focus scale or levels, but is otherwise similar to the camera above.
* [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?f=popup&id=178728&_ssl=off#178728 6.5x9 cm Traveller Una] essentially as pictured above, sold at the [http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=175122&acat=175122&offset=3&lang=3 December 2009 Westlicht auction]. The camera has a Ross Combinable lens (when combined, a 4¼-inch f/5.5; when one component used, an 8-inch f/11) and N.S. 'Perfect' shutter, with speeds 1/2 - 1/50 second, and a compendium hood. It is dated in the auction listing to 1927, but the [[Ross serial numbers|serial number]] of the lens (137291) suggests this should be 19''3''7. Thie camera has front rise (and swing, according to the advertisement). There are three marked degrees of rise ('1', '2' and '3') on the lens board, and the Watson finder on the bed can be tilted up, showing the approximate effect of each position on the view (again, according to the advertisement; ''Early Photography'' also describes this feature. There is a single, round spirit level on the front standard.
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* Aluminium-bodied [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Sinclair-Traveller-Una/AI-16-19377 2½x3½ inch (6.5x9 cm) Traveller Una] essentially as pictured above, sold at the [https://www.leitz-auction.com/en/Cameras/Past-Auctions/Auction-16/ sixteenth Westlicht auction], in December 2009. The camera has a Ross Combinable lens (when combined, a 4¼-inch f/5.5; when one component used, an 8-inch f/11) and N.S. 'Perfect' shutter, with speeds 1/2 - 1/50 second, and a compendium hood. It is dated in the auction listing to 1927, but the [[Ross serial numbers|serial number]] of the lens (137291) suggests this should be 19''3''7. The camera has front rise (and swing, according to the advertisement). There are three marked degrees of rise ('1', '2' and '3') on the lens board, and the Watson finder on the bed can be tilted up, showing the approximate effect of each position on the view (again, according to the advertisement; ''Early Photography'' also describes this feature. There is a single, round spirit level on the front standard.
  
  
 
[[Category: Camera makers]]
 
[[Category: Camera makers]]
 
[[Category: UK]]
 
[[Category: UK]]

Latest revision as of 18:56, 28 January 2024


James A. Sinclair & Company Ltd was a camera-maker in London from about 1904.[1] Sinclair himself was at one time an employee of Adams before setting up his own firm. Sinclair was also involved in Newman & Sinclair, at the same time as Sinclair & Co. was operating independently. N&S made (among other products) shutters, which are seen on many of Sinclair's cameras. Sinclair also retailed photographic goods of other makers.

Sinclair is best-known for the Una series of wooden-bodied folding plate cameras in various sizes between 2½x3½ inch (6.5x9 cm) and 5x7 inch,[2] including tropical models, and the aluminium-bodied Traveller Una, pictured here in a contemporary advertisement.[3]


Notes

  1. Sinclair company information at Early Photography.
  2. Notes on the Una range at Early Photography.
  3. 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). p895.


Links

Early Photography

Early Photography gives a lot of information about Una models, and shows several examples:

Examples seen at auction

  • 2½x3½ inch (6.5x9 cm) Tropical Una, about 1915, mahogany with brass binding and fittings, with Ross lens and Newman & Sinclair 'Perfect' shutter, sold at the sixth Westlicht Photographica Auction, in November 2004. There are focus scales on both sides of the bed; it is probable that the lens is a combinable lens, as referred to in the advertisement illustrated, and fitted on the Traveller example below; one of the scales shows focus for one lens component used alone as an 8-inch long-focus lens. There is a small Watson viewfinder on the bed, and front-rear and left-right spirit levels on the front standard. The camera has front rise and tilt.
  • 4x5 inch Tropical Una No. 2, about 1920, with 7¼-inch f/4.5 Ross Xpres, sold at the eighteenth Westlicht auction, in December 2010. Rack-and-pinion focus on the bed, with an ivory focus scale to two yards, with depth-of-field markings (the camera has triple extension, so could focus rather closer). There is a seperate infinity mark for use with a telephoto attachment. There are levels (by Taylor, Taylor & Hobson) on the standard. The camera has no shutter (as shown; the lens may have been exchanged), and no viewfinder other than the ground glass.
  • 4x5 inch Tropical Una No. 2 with Dallmeyer Stigmatic series II lens and behind-the-lens telephoto attachment, sold at the nineteenth Westlicht auction, in May 2011. This example has no focus scale or levels, but is otherwise similar to the camera above.
  • Aluminium-bodied 2½x3½ inch (6.5x9 cm) Traveller Una essentially as pictured above, sold at the sixteenth Westlicht auction, in December 2009. The camera has a Ross Combinable lens (when combined, a 4¼-inch f/5.5; when one component used, an 8-inch f/11) and N.S. 'Perfect' shutter, with speeds 1/2 - 1/50 second, and a compendium hood. It is dated in the auction listing to 1927, but the serial number of the lens (137291) suggests this should be 1937. The camera has front rise (and swing, according to the advertisement). There are three marked degrees of rise ('1', '2' and '3') on the lens board, and the Watson finder on the bed can be tilted up, showing the approximate effect of each position on the view (again, according to the advertisement; Early Photography also describes this feature. There is a single, round spirit level on the front standard.