A Stereax strut-folding stereo plate camera by Contessa Nettel
Contessa Nettel
Category
Photographic technology
Date
1919 - 1927
Materials
Leather, Metal, Glass, Paint, Fabric, Cord, Gilt foil, Wood
Measurements
fully extended
Place of origin
Stuttgart
Order this imageCollection
Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire
NT 1524736.1
Summary
A Stereax strut-folding stereo plate camera by Contessa Nettel of Stuttgart, Germany. The rectangular body is covered in black leather cloth. A black leather carry handle is mounted at the side. Plate size 6 x 13cm. . The camera has the normal Nettel focusing mechanism, with the struts adjusted from the camera body, and with the end of one strut forming the pointer of a focus scale in a slot in the top of the camera. The camera can be arranged for panoramic pictures, using the whole plate, as well as for stereo, and the wire frame finder is usable for both formats. Leather bellows with folding strut are extended by turning a metal screw focusing knob at the top side of the camera. Button for bellows release. The camera is equipped with sports finder, focal plane shutter and a pair of Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar lenses 12cm f/4.5 set in a vertically movable lens board. One lens is mounted in a rectangular metal plate that is mounted onto the metal stereo lens board. This plate can be turned so that the lens is nearly in the middle of the camera's lens board. With the one lens moved into the middle that way and the other covered with a cap the camera becomes a panorama camera. Locking knob for vertical shift. A pair of leather, blue velvet lined lens caps attached at the front by black cord. Connecting bar (removable) adjusts both f stops at the same time. Shutter speed selection knob and shutting winding knob. Shutter speed range selection knob. Shutter release knob. Focusing scale. Viewfinder sight. The rear of the camera has a leather covered focusing hood embossed with the makers name Contessa Nettel. Markings: on rim of the pair of lenses, printed in white: Tessar 1:4.5 f=12cm Carl Zeiss Jana Nr 1297611 and Nr 1297609. On the front of the leather covered lens covers, embossed gilt logo: Carl Zeiss Jena
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
Contessa Nettel , manufacturer