Thornton-Pickard Ruby Half Plate Field Camera Outfit.

Thornton-Pickard Ruby Half Plate Field Camera Outfit. A beautiful half-plate brass and mahogany with working Thornton Pickard roller blind shutter and a separate (and uncommon) Thornton Pickard focal plane shutter (working) and cut outs for stereo septum (not present). Also a brass bound Ross London Zeiss Convertible Anastigmat lens* with combined elements of 6 ½ inch (C; lens numbered. 7397) and 11 ½ inch (S; lens numbered. 7400). Comes with three T-P double half plate DDS with half plate cut film metal inserts and quarter plate cut-film metal insert adapters and a compatible (unnamed) tripod. Also a box with 4 clos-up filters marked No.1, No.2 , No.3 and No.4.

*Vendors note: The Ross Zeiss Convertible Anastigmat lens has two options for use. With both the front and rear lenses coupled to the brass barrel, the lens has a focal length of 6 ½ inches and therefore the “C” (= Combined) f-stop settings on the brass barrel should be used. With the rear lens element removed, the lens has a focal length of 11 ½ inches and therefore the “S” (= Single) f-stop settings on the brass barrel should be used. The lens was introduced by Zeiss in about 1895. Each of the two lenses is corrected from astigmatism and can be used separately placed behind the iris. This was one of the finest lenses available at its time and delivers excellent picture quality.

For further details see: http://www.lungov.com/wagner/c/089c.html

Provenance: Bonhams Camera Auction, 16 October 2007, Lot No. 421