Klito No 2 Hand Camera
Houghtons Limited
| Name: | Klito No 2 Hand Camera |
| Manufacturer: | Houghtons Ltd. |
| Country of Origin: | United Kingdom |
| Construction: | Conventional form of falling plate camera with leather covered mahogany body and two part rear door to provide access to load the sheaths holding the plates and unload them after exposure. The front opens to gain access to the lens and shutter assembly and reveals a highly polished interior. |
| Model / Variant: | No 00 |
| Plate / Film Size: | ¼ plates |
| Lens: | Beck Single Achromatic |
| Shutter: | Built in shutter, 2 sacs to 1/100, T & I |
| Movements: | None |
| Dimensions (w x h x l): | 10 x 18 x 23 cm (approx.) |
| Date of this Example: | c1905 |
| Serial Number: | None |
| Availability: |
|
| Inventory Number: | 607 |
![[ ]](../../images/unchecked.png)
![[x]](../../images/checked.png)
Photos copyright © 2013 David Purcell. Do not use without permission. |
||||||||||||
Description
The Klito No 2 Hand camera is a conventional pattern falling plate camera, in ¼ plate size. The name of the camera appears on the metal surround to the focus scale, but not elsewhere, where it is also states "British Made". It has the classic Houghton's PATENT label on the front of the camera, repeated in polished brass on the lens carrier. However it is also readily identified by its distinctive features, most notably the built in shutter (see McKeown) with its bright metal cover with etched surface finish.
Focusing is by bellows extension, allowing focus down to about 3 feet, according to the scale.
Leather covered mahogany construction, with highly polished interior exposed when the front door is opened. Leather handle with additional strap loops.
The rear door is in two parts. The complete assembly has to open to load plates (the upper section can be opened on its own). The lower door can be opened independently to withdraw exposed plates.
A continuous iris is fitted to the outside of the front door rather than to the lens itself. The shutter speeds and mode are set from the front of the camera. On the floor of the rear of the camera is a label describing operation of "the Improved Adjustable Speed Indicator - Patent", which describes how to reset the shutter to correct the timing.
The camera is in very good condition, with only light signs of use. It retains 8 of its 12 plate sheaths.
Notes
The Klito series of falling plate cameras had a significant number of variations and revisions over its production period, not unlike the Holborn-Ilex series. McKeown [1] provides a good listing of many of the numbered variants, but there were variations in individual models over the production period.