A Planex reflex plate camera.
Van Neck & Co.
Category
Photographic technology
Date
1890 - 1900
Materials
Wood, Leather, Brass, Metal
Measurements
310 x 170 x 305 mm
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Fox Talbot Museum, Wiltshire
NT 1524847.1
Summary
A Planex plate camera. The body is a wooden box structure covered with black leather. The bellows is also black leather and focusing is on a rack and pinion system. The focal plane shutter is controlled by aperture and spring tension and a plate on the side of the body give details of the combinations. The reflex mirror is operated by an external lever and the focusing screen has a folding leather hood. On the side of this hood is a label in gold, reading as follows: 'Planex Regd City Sale & Exchange 81, Aldersgate Street E.C. 54, Lime Street .E.C. 90-94, Fleet Street.E.C. 23-28, Kings Rd Sloane Square.S.W.' The lens is marked 'Ross, London Patent 6in Homocentric 1:6.3 No 68689' Apertures range f6.3-f32. The lens plate has a rising mechanism controlled by rack and pinion. The shutter is focal plane with speeds to 1/1000 sec. A brass table of tension and curtain settings is mounted on the side of the body. There is a leather carrying handle and two tripod mounts. At the back of the camera is mounted a daylight slide. On the rear is and enamel disc marked 'McKenzie-Wishart Daylight Slide Patent McKenzie & Co Glasgow'. It is stamped with th number 888.
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
Van Neck & Co., manufacturer