Coronet Midget - Antique and Vintage Cameras

Coronet Midget

1935

Black

Coronet Camera Co.

Birmingham

England

Image of Coronet Midget Black

Lens:
f10, c. 29mm meniscus. No iris.

Shutter:
Single speed, spring powered, pivoted single-blade return. 1/30s.

Construction:
Bakelite body.

Format:
6, 13 x 18 mm exposures on paper-backed roll-film, 16mm wide.

Focusing:
Fixed.

Attributes:
Direct-vision (lens/lens) view-finder
Film advance indicated by red window. Not coupled to shutter.

Identification:
Version with pressure plate, without "Made in England".

With:
Box of film containing 2 rolls. 2 spools. Case.

Brown

Identification:
Version without pressure plate, without "Made in England".

With:
Box of film containing 1 roll d. 1942. 3 spools.

Light Green

Identification:
Version with pressure plate, with "Made in England".

With:
Case. Spool.

Dark Green

Identification:
Version without pressure plate, without "Made in England".

With:
Case. Spool.

Dark Red

Identification:
Version with hinged grip to film advance knob, with pressure plate, with "Made in England".

Notes:
Case has retailer's imprint: E. B. Meyrowitz. London. Paris. New York.

With:
Case and aluminium film container.

Blue

c. 1936

Identification:
Version with pressure plate, with "Made in England".

With:
Case.

Black

Image of  Black

Identification:
Version with hinged grip to film advance knob, with pressure plate.

With:
Case.

Light Red

Image of  Light Red

Identification:
Version without pressure plate.

With:
Case.

Light Green

Image of  Light Green

Identification:
Version with hinged grip to film advance knob, with pressure plate.

With:
Instructions, box. Coronet Scoper viewer, in box.

The Midget is a miniature box camera, it sold in large numbers and was produced in several colours: black, brown, dark green, light green, dark red, light red and blue. The blue finish was introduced after the others and is rare. The light red finish is the least consistent and might be described as orange, the grain is orange or pale brown in colour.

Matching coloured leather cases were sold with the cameras. The case with the dark red example, shown here, is unusual in having an inside pocket for two spool containers.

Variations include the addition of a spring pressure plate, later the words "Made in England" were added to the face plate. Very late models have a hinged grip to the film advance knob.

References & Notes:
AP 21/6/1939, p. 704. BJA 1936, p. 628.

Further Information:
For a breakdown of the minor differences in the Midget see the article by Martin & Anita Russell in Photographica World no. 52.


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