Vélocigraphe
The Vélocigraphe is a falling-plate camera for up to twelve plates, made by Hermagis in Paris, in the 1890s.[1] The body is a wooden box; it was supplied in a close-fitting leather case, the front opening to allow it to be used while in the case; all the controls are on the front. It has a Hermagis lens with an iris diaphragm, mounted with a coarse screw thread for focusing. The camera has a behind-the-lens shutter, with seven speeds (numbered 1 - 7 on the control), set by varying spring tension.[2] The shutter tensioning lever also operates the plate-changing mechanism.[1][2] There is a plate counter, in a window in the maker's name plate on the right-hand side. There are Watson-type viewfinders, and spirit levels, for horizontal and vertical orientation.
The Vélocigraphe was made in 9×12 cm and 13×18 cm plate sizes.[3] A stereo version was made for six 8×16 or 9×18 cm plates.[3]
The Vélocigraphe was probably so named to take advantage of the fashionability of cycling; certainly the camera, in its case, and intended for hand-held use, would have been easy to carry on a bicycle. One of the advertisements at Collection d'Appareils promotes the camera and a sommier vélocipédique (bicycle mount) for mounting cameras, such as the Vélocigraphe, on a bicycle or tricycle, allowing photographs to be taken while moving.[3]
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 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). p388.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Vélocigraphe serial no. 909 at Early Photography.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Contemporary advertisements for le Vélocigraphe at Collection d'Appareils
Links
- Vélocigraphe serial no. 305, sold at the November 2011 Westlicht auction in Vienna.
