Ensign Cupid Camera

Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Co Ltd.

Name:	Ensign Cupid
Manufacturer:	Houghton-Butcher Manufacturing Co Ltd.
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Construction:	Metal bodied box camera, of unusual format. Bottom is removed to access the rollfilm chamber. Finished in black and various colours (blue, grey and other colour - perhaps) in a crackle finish.
Production Period:	1922 - ?

This camera was based upon the design for a stereo camera that did not go into production.

It used two red windows to enable double the amount of pictures to be taken on standard 120 rollfilm. This is achieved by lining up the first number on the roll in the first window 'A' then exposing the film before moving the same number to the second window 'B'.

Model / Variant:	Black finish
Plate / Film Size:	120 rollfilm (12pictures of 2¼" x 1½")
Lens:	Meniscus achromatic, f11
Shutter:	Simple guillotine shutter set by pull pin on top of camera
Movements:	None
Dimensions (w x h x l):
Date of this Example:
Serial Number:	None
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	189

<Photographs to be added>

Description

A fair example which has suffered with only light rusting. Other noticeable fault is that the top of the pin used to set the shutter has been lost. Minor paint loss on large finder frame where it has been slightly bent.

~ # ~ # ~

Model / Variant:	Blue / grey
Plate / Film Size:	120 rollfilm
Lens:	Meniscus achromatic, f11
Shutter:	Simple guillotine shutter set by pull pin on top of camera
Movements:	None
Dimensions (w x h x l):
Date of this Example:
Serial Number:	None
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	259

<Photographs to be added>

Description

A fairly good example which has suffered with only light rusting, which has also affected the nickel plating on the handle. This was sold as a 'black', but quite clearly is not. However it is difficult to work out whether the base colour is blue or grey! Both were made according to McKeown [1].

Notes

The black model turns up quite often, though the condition of the camera can vary. The coloured variants are very much harder to find. This blue colour variation is the only non-black colour that I have seen to date.