Junior Sanderson Camera

George Houghton & Son

Name:	Junior Sanderson Camera
Type:	Hand & Stand Camera
Manufacturer:	George Houghton & Son
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Construction:	Leather covered mahogany body, with wide angle flap. Square section red bellows. Early pattern of lens standard, with inverted 'L' shaped locks, dual spring infinity catches on the baseboard, square pattern lens board (not the more common later pattern vertical oblong panel).
Production Period:	Unknown

 

Plate / Film Size:	½ plate
Lens:	Beck Steinheil Unifocal Patent Series I No 5 F7.2" No 13450
Shutter:	Bausch & Lomb Unicum, B, T 1 - 1/100 (serial 452956)
Movements:	Rising and tilting front; reversing back
Dimensions (w x h x l):
Date of this Example:	c1904
Serial Number:	Serial 13450 on lens; serial on left hand lens standard strut (standard location) is difficult to read but appears to be 8119.
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	534 (but no longer in my collection - see text)

 

Description

Early pattern of the Junior Sanderson camera, labelled as the "The Junior Sanderson G.H.&S LONDON".

This is an early ½ plate size Junior model c1904. The serial is very difficult to read but appears to be 8119 and this corresponds to 1904 according to the article "Dating Sanderson Cameras" by Cliff Bulcock, Photographica World 2008/1.

The camera has square section red double extension bellows, which are in very good condition.

The internal condition generally is very good; unfortunately the same is not true of the outside, which is need of some restorative work. The mahogany shows little sign of wear and the brasswork retains a good orange patina, although the surface is marked on the rails through use. The lens board has dual springs as the infinity catch. The standard is clamped to the baseboard with a thumbscrew. The lens board tilt latches are the early 'L' shape.

Notes

This camera was purchased as part of a 'job lot'. It was in need of some careful repair and restoration. The camera was subsequently passed on to a fellow collector who had originally provided information to the seller about the camera and was interested in acquiring this early model - warts and all! He has since cleaned it up and it is now presented on his excellent web site alongside a later example of the Junior Sanderson.