Another Unidentified Camera Please Help!

[btsnpsfoto]

Greetings To All,
My name is Bruce and I am a new member to the forum. I am working on a WW2 photo project. I am trying to identify cameras used to document a fighter squadron in Italy. I have identified the two Military Speed Graphics (C3 4x5 & C-4 Mini 2 1/4 X 3 1/4) issued by the Army Air Corps. These photographers also used other cameras... a 35mm(Argus C3) and a Kodak 3A Series II folding camera.

The picture I have attached is a mystery. It looks like a 1930s Zeiss Ikon Compur Folding Camera but not quite. I am attaching the best (only) photo I could find. The camera is on a wooden tripod
Thank you,
Bruce Talamon

[daveh]

Bruce, welcome - but no, I haven't a clue what it is. However your project sounds as though it could prove interesting. Keep us up to date.

Dave.

[btsnpsfoto]

Hi Dave,
Thank you for the kind words. I am attaching a photograph of a Zeiss Ikon camera that looks suspiciously like the camera in the B&W photograph. Same view finder, bellows, thin flat plate base, black thick curved standard. The problem is that if you really study them, they are close but do not match up...
Cheers,
Bruce Talamon

[daveh]

Bruce, I'm certainly not your man for trying to unravel what this camera is. Hopefully some of the others will have more idea.

Dave.

[photax]

Welcome Bruce !

Now that`s quite a diffcult question. All I can see is that this one has probably no Compur shutter. The dial at the front looks like a "Vario"- shutter, or something similar. So it must have been produced before 1930. I even dont know if it is a Zeiss Ikon at all. There had been so many different plate cameras made in the 1920`s.



MIK

[mickeyobe]

I went through McK's. and could not find anything with that kind of peculiarly shaped lens mount.

Mickey

Addendum:
I just looked through several old British Journal Photographic Almanacs of late 1930's and early 1940's. Nothing.

That lens mount reminded me of something. Then it dawned. The stirrup of a western saddle.

[btsnpsfoto]

To All,
I really appreciate the comments AND research. It's really nice to have extra eyes trying to solve this puzzle. Mickey, that standard does look like a western stirrup... What were they thinking? Also, note the metal part in the lower right bottom of the picture. That's the part that locks the camera open. Just like on a Zeiss and ALL folding cameras!
The search continues. Thank you.
Bruce

[daveh]

Bruce, I don't know if you have seen Colray's home made camera - maybe his grandfather was making them way back then! More seriously, I wonder how many "one offs" were around then: cameras made to the specific requirements of the customer.

Dave.

[Berndt]

I would say, the "thing" in the red circle doesn't belong to the camera, I think, it's part of the background ... but I don't know, if this would make the identification easier Too less details for really guessing something

[mickeyobe]

I think Dave may be right.
It does look rather coarse and home made. Especially the base which appears to be of wood. Or is that part of the tripod?
From the extended track and the way the bellows is sagging it looks like it may have had a double extension bellows.

Mickey

[daveh]

I think Berndt is right too with his idea that the circled object is part of the background rather than the camera.

[photax]

Now I also see, that this particular "thing" is probably not a part of the camera. I am also helpless concerning the shape of the lens standard. It would match no German camera I know, just like Zeiss, Ernemann, Balda and so on.

MIK

[btsnpsfoto]

I really appreciate everyone's help. Thank you all for taking a look and comparing notes. I will keep looking. There is a camera that matches and I know it's out there.
Bruce