mini camera? turn of the century?

[musclecar]

Here is a piece, looks like bronze, about 1 3/4 inches square, with two rollers. Each roller is slotted, and I would guess for rolling film, but I don't know for sure. Can anyone help identify it?

Thanks, musclecar

 

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[FISHEYE]

Its a 120mm film camera,single lens.in all my years as a photographer i have never seen one like that.it could be european,maybe russian,they made strange cameras the germans did as well.my old nikon is made out of brass from 1975 but yours is much much older,can you find a name of some sort on it?most likely its on the bottom or on the back which is missing.

 

[bill gent]

def 120 (or close) although back then during ww2 the mini spy cameras were hand loaded with all types of odd size film but 120 was the most prevelant
fisheye u still use your nikon I have 6

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Gentlemen, not to nit pick but 120 mm is almost 5 ". it is obviously much smaller and had a detachable lens,

The 120 format was popular in Kodak folding tye cameras. This camera used smaller orthochromatic paper backed film.

Since it apparantly only had a folding back with a detachable lens, it must have been made with lens focusing capabilities, it must have been expensive in it's day. European would be my guess.

Could be a camera collectors droolie item = $$ ??

Tropical Tramp

 

[FISHEYE]

film formats are:microfilm,110,35,120,3 1/2x5,1 1/4x2 1/4,sheet film sizes:4x5,5x7,8x10,11x14 an i have seen bigger then that for view cameras,all the way up to 5x5 foot.
120 film size is about 3 fingers wide,i should know i developed millions of
feet of it when i worked for kodak.that camera has slots in the spools an a rewind knob on one side an a take up reel on the other side,shutter is missing too.

i have a nikon F2S black body with the MD1 motor drive an dam near every lenses they made,plus a zoomar 600mm zoom lens.i used to have 10 nikons from the ftn,f-1,f-2's but destroyed them all shooting skateboarding(i liked to get close)i still have my nikonos2

 

[bill gent]

super underwater camera the ftn was a workhorse when i shot for nat geo thats all i used left the electronics home because of the moisture a bud of mine made an adapter for cannon lens to nikon box I also have a zone 6 camera I love --wood, brass with gold inlay 4X5 view ooooooops what were we talkin about oh this camera nahhhh it does look like 120 but like I said they did cut film down the shutter would have been on the lens

 

[musclecar]

Thanks for all the comments! After MUCH closer scrutiny, I have found that on top of the winding knobs are the roman numerals "I" and "II". Also, on the top of the case is a 5 digit number, "37785" with two arrows pointing away from each other. That is all I can find.

Musclecar

 

[Blind.In.Texas]

had a nikon f1 back in 87. man that camera was nice. had a short lens and one of those 6" or so telescope lenses. someone stole it from me when my crap was shipped back from california. i would like to get my hands on the guy that took it.....

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

HI, since the camera only meaures 1 3/4 " sq, it obviously cannot use 120 flm , but possibly one of the early smaller roll films.

The detachable lens feature is very interesing, it almost makes me think of a possible 35 mm camera lens adapter for special work.

p.s. I was incorrect in my previous post, the 120 format is bascally 56 x ?? mm. or shall we say 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 + ". Very popular in the miniature view cameras, the Speed Graphic types, or the 6x6 quality cameras..

Tropical Tramp

 

[FISHEYE]

musclecar,

your mini camera isnt complete,but it is old,heres what i found out about it.

KOMBI Camera and Graphoscope by KEMPER, USA 1892-
A very interesting (and cute) mini-box camera: Believed to be The first miniature roll film camera (film manufactured by Kodak?), Took 25 exposures of 1 1/8inch square. Notice also at the metal bar which says "LOADED" to keep the photographer from the common mistake of forgetting that the camera has film in it and openning the camera in light.
The KOMBI camera opens revieling the film. At the back there is another round door so the back can to be used as a viewer (a graphoscope) for positive transparency roll of film. That's why it's called KOMBI (a combination of a camera and a viewer).

hows that for research? you need to find the rest of the camera!

 

[musclecar]

WOW Fisheye!!! Good job, and thank you for finding it. You get an A+! That is very interesting, and I remember where I found it. I will have to go back and see if the rest is still there. Now that I know my machine better, I can scour that area better. Again, thank you very much,

Musclecar

 

[FISHEYE]

Musclecar,

your welcome,im glad i could help.it would be really cool to find the roll of film that was maybe in it when or however the camera got there,maybe someone lost it.or tossed it if it malfunctioned.would be real interesting to see what was on the film,if the case wasnt all rusted awaybut im sure the film wouldnt last that long being out in the weather an in the dirt.i do have funexposed 35mm film from the early 50's in my fridge.you would be surprised how long film lasts if you keep it cold or frozen.good luck with finding the rest of the mini cam.

 

[bill gent]

The fishman fish meinster comes through wow 1800 was thinkin myself 1920s not too far off it is a nice find many cameras like that would have deteriated to oblivion by now I have a old kodack 1930 era one in nice shape still takes fair pictures I tried it

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

(*)&)(&()&)(&()*^%^%%$%$ FISH EYE, let a guy retain a bit of his ego heheheh I concede that you have it pegged exactly. Between you and Michelle, I will probably sulk for the rest of the day heheheheh

Tropical Tramp

 

[Postalrevnant]

Great find. Love a good mystery. I am learning a whole lot going through and reading these.

Rev

Great find Congratulations.