Kinnear Pattern

1860

Construction:

Spanish mahogany with brass binding and brass fittings, mauve leather bellows. Dovetail joints.

Format:

10" x 8" wet-collodion plates held in slides.

Focusing:

Bellows double extension. Focusing by worm screw which moves the inner frame carrying the front standard. Two positions for rear standard.

Attributes:

Tripod socket.

Movements:

Limited swing back. Rising front.

Notes:

Retailer's address on camera: Watson & Son. 313 High Holborn.

With:

Focusing screen. Two wet-plate dark-slides with troughs. Whole-plate reducing frame with wire corners.

Kinnear's design of 1857 relates to a camera with tapered bellows, which allowed the camera to fold up into a smaller space than those with square bellows.

Many of the better known manufacturers introduced 'Improved' models in the early 1860s. The baseboard is detachable from the body, when not in use the baseboard fits onto the camera body resting on the front standard and forms a lid. The folded camera takes up little space and was ideal for field work.

When not in use the focusing screen fits into a slot in the back of the camera and is covered by a hinged flap.

On this example the bellows do not unclip from the front standard they slide into a slot at the rear of the front standard and have to be slid fully upwards for removal. The two brass attachments on top of the camera allow straps to be passed around the camera when folded. The Watson label is probably from when the camera was sold second hand.

Further Information:

Information on the Wet Collodion Process.

Early Photography