No 2 Ensignette De Luxe

Houghtons Limited

Manufacturer:	Houghtons Ltd.
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Construction:	Bedless strut camera. Early pattern with brass body and nickel-plated fittings. The De Luxe models have better lens and shutter combinations than the conventional models, with slider focussing (see Notes).
Plate / Film Size:	2" x 3" rollfilm (e.g. Ensign E29)
Movements:	None
Dimensions (w x h x l):	12.5 x 6.2 x 2.5 cm (closed)
Production Period:

Name:	No 2 C Ensignette De Luxe
Lens:	Unknown
Shutter:	Ultix 3 speed shutter
Date of this Example:	c1913
Serial Number:	Serial A5820 on hidden edge of back opposite catch
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	466

Description

This No 2C Ensignette DeLuxe camera has a brass body, with smooth enamel finish. It is in good condition overall, perhaps because it has been protected by its case. Focussing model, which works well. However the shutter is dead on this particular example.

This variant is a little less common than the basic model, but not hard to find. It can be found with various lens variations, although I have as yet to determine what lens is fitted to mine!

# ~ # ~ #

Name:	No 2 N Ensignette De Luxe
Lens:	Ensign Anastigmatic f6.3 F=3.2" (No 195783)
Shutter:	3 speed shutter - 1/25, 1/50, 1/100, B, T
Date of this Example:	c1913
Serial Number:	Serial A5820 on hidden edge of back opposite catch.
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	597

Description

This No2 N Ensignette camera has a brass body, with smooth enamel finish. It is in good condition overall with only limited edge wear, to the front face although the wear is more pronounced on the rear panel edges.

The shutter still is operational. The conventional chamfered bellows seem to be intact.

The camera is marked as the No2 N Ensignette De Luxe on the left hand side of the lens.

# ~ # ~ #

Name:	No 2 S Ensignette De Luxe
Lens:	Carl Zeiss Jena Triotar
Shutter:	Ultix 3 speed shutter
Date of this Example:	c1915
Serial Number:	Serial A3269 on hidden edge of back opposite catch
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	651

Description

This No 2C Ensignette DeLuxe camera has a brass body, with smooth enamel finish. It is in good condition overall, perhaps because it has been protected by its case. Focussing model, which works well. However the shutter is dead on this particular example.

# ~ # ~ #

Name:	No 2 Z Ensignette De Luxe
Lens:	Zeiss Tessar f6.3 F=9cm (focussing) s/n 216526
Shutter:	Compound shutter (1 - 1/300, TBI) s/n 371939
Date of this Example:	c1913
Serial Number:	Serial A2872 inside back at the opposite end to the catch
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	577

Description

This example of the No 2 Z Ensignette De Luxe has a brass body and smooth enamel finish. The camera is in good condition overall with only limited edge wear, having been protected by its case. This is the focussing model, which works well. The shutter is still operational. The conventional chamfered bellows seem to be intact, although there are some slight misfolds on the wider faces.

This variant of the No 2 Ensignette with the specially shaped front panel to take the compound lens is the hardest to find, comparable to the Kodak Vest Pocket Special with Compur / Tessar.

The camera is marked as the No 2 Z Ensignette De Luxe on the left hand side of the lens (note order of components in the name).

Notes

In all four examples, the right hand side is marked with the patent number 28464 / 1907 (above the focus slide) and the makers name below. The Ensignette was designed by the Swedish engineer Magnus Nièll who took out the patent in 1907.

It is evident that there is a family of De Luxe models, fitted with various lenses. The table below lists the variants that I am aware of to date:

Model	Lens	Source	Notes
No 2B	Cooke Anastigmat f/6	BJPA 1915, p213	Another example seen on eBay had a similar Cooke lens, but marked f/6.3. A second later example with an aluminium body also had a f/6.3 lens
No 2C	Unknown Anastigmat f/8	My collection, #466
No 2N	Ensign Anastigmat f/6.3	My collection, #597
No 2S	Carl Zeiss Jena Triotar f/6.3	My collection, #651	BJPA 1917 lists this model but with a Velos Anastigmat f6.8 lens
No 2V	Velos Anastigmat f/7.7	BJPA 1917, p156
No 2X	Anastigmat Series I f/6.3 in Ensign Simplex shutter	BJPA 197, p156	Example seen on eBay in 2015 in poor condition. Brass bodied model.
No 2Z	Zeiss Tessar f/6.3	My collection, #577

For examples of other variants of the Ensignette No 2, refer to the page dedicated to the Ensignette No 2, and the page describing the Rapid Rectilinear model.