Billcliff Camera - Antique and Vintage Cameras

Billcliff Camera

c. 1910

Joshua Billcliff

Manchester

England

Image of Billcliff Camera

Construction:
Spanish mahogany with ebony binding, brass fittings, finger joints. Dark mauve leather bellows with square corners.

Format:
4" x 5" or two, 4" x 2 ¼" exposures on plates held in double dark-slides.

Focusing:
Bellows. Double extension. The inner focusing frame moves forward or backward after releasing a catch. Rear standard has a rack and pinion (straight cut) movement operating on the baseboard.

Attributes:
Reversing back with movable mask allowing two exposures on one plate. Lens panel folds down to give access to a filter tray.

Movements:
Rising front, tilting front, tilting back.

Notes:
A similar catch and movement to the inner frame is found on some Royalty (LPOC) cameras.

With:
Ebonite masking plate.

The back of the camera has a recess into which an ebonite plate can be placed, this masks half of the image area allowing two exposures on a quarter-plate to be taken. The camera is obviously intended for colour photography using the new Autochrome plates. A slot is provided in the frame of the focusing screen so that the glass can be removed and reversed. This was the normal way of compensating for Autochromes being exposed through the glass plate (i.e. the emulsion is behind the glass). A door in the front panel hinges open giving access to a behind-the-lens light filter.


Company Details:

Billcliff

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