Coronet Midget miniature camera.
Coronet
Category
Photographic technology
Date
1934 - 1943
Materials
Bakelite, Metal, Glass
Measurements
66 x 33 x 35 mm
Place of origin
Birmingham
Order this imageCollection
Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire
NT 1524650.1
Summary
Coronet Midget miniature camera. Made by the Coronet Camera Co. of Birmingham, England. The body is made of red & black mottled effect bakelite. Domed shaped direct vision view-finder on top. Nickel plate on front with model and manufacturer details printed in black: "Coronet Midget. 16mm film. Made in England by the Coronet Camera Co. Birmingham. British Patent applied for. Design registered". Other markings: It took six 13mm x 18mm exposures on 16mm paper-backed rollfilm, using a simple Taylor-Hobson f10 fixed-focus meniscus lens and a 1/30s fixed-speed shutter. The rear of the camera hinges downward for film loading. A red window centred in the back is used to control film advance, wound by a hinged D-shaped loop (this hinged loop indicates a later model). Spring pressure plate inside. Film advance indicated by red window. Shutter release is activated by pressing a vertical pin attached on the side (this feature is not evident on the photographs of other examples of this model - see links below). This model was also given away as a gift with breakfast cereals.
Provenance
Part of the Fenton Collection. A gift from British Film Institute in 2017. From 1986-1999, part of BFI collection for the Museum of the Moving Image. BFI purchased collection in 1986 from James Fenton's Museum of Photography, Port Erin, Isle of Man 1976-1986
Makers and roles
Coronet, manufacturer