Hello All

I was given this camera a long time ago. Probable about 1963. I have never put any film in it. To be more correct it would be glass plates. It came with one plate holder. It is all wooden construction.
There is no name or makers mark anywhere on the camera. The Lens has a name and goes from F8 to F44. Inscribed on the lens in copperplate script. Engel Feilknecht & co. Bienne Suisse.

There is an envelope containing about 25 photos presumable taken with the camera. They looks like Switzerland.

I would add photos but I am at a loss as to how to do it at the moment.

David

Would love to see that camera, David.

Use the "Switch to Full Reply Screen" button, then use either the "Enter an Image" icon in the top controls or "File Manager" just under the dialog box to select and add the image.

Once you've done it one time you'll have it figured out.

I have added a link to this video I just made to the "How to I Add an Image" question in the "Forum Help". Here's direct link - hope this helps.

https://youtu.be/-QazRhiKjGU

Thank you

I will try it out.

Ok so it does not show up in the Preview screen.

Very cool camera. Does it have auto aperture mode?

Tried to do a search for Engel Feilknecht & co. but came up empty. Obviously a Swiss company. I did find a picture of what looks like the same camera that said Engel Feilknecht & co. Biennia Suisse. (circa 1878 - 1899).

I have never used it. Just been the care taker for the last 50+ years.

All totally manual. Compose and focus on a frosted glass screen with an inverted image working under a black cloth. Then place the film case in the camera, pull the slide to allow the film plate to be exposed. I have read somewhere that they would remove the lens cover and time the exposure then replace the cover.

The shutter box seemed to use a bulb release. There is a timer, device to go in the tube. The tube is long gone and the bulb is a hard ball.

What a lovely old thing! I've a lens from the era but no camera to mount it on.

I've had and used 4x5 "rail" cameras, Linhof and Calumets, plenty of Graflex ones. Never an old one like that though. Love the woodwork that went into that.

And yup, the lens cap is the "shutter" with a lot of 'em.

You ought to get it appeased - I'm sure it's worth something