Aluminium Xit Camera

J F Shew and Company

Name:	Aluminium Xit Camera
Type:	Strut Camera
Manufacturer:	J F Shew & Co
Country of Origin:	United Kingdom
Construction:	Strut camera of aluminium and mahogany construction.
Production Period:	Unknown

 

Plate / Film Size:	¼ plate
Lens:	Dallmeyer Stigmatic Series II Patent No 65370
Shutter:	"Shew Pneumatic" Bausch & Lomb
Movements:	None
Dimensions (w x h x l):
Date of this Example:	c1900
Serial Number:	Serial number of 63768 visible inside shutter once the lens has been removed. No other obvious serial.
Availability:	Common  Uncommon  Hard to Find  Scarce
Inventory Number:	234

<Photographs to be added>

Description

The Aluminium Xit is a mahogany & aluminium strut type camera with black (or maybe very deep red) bellows. The ivory name plate insert on the top face is hidden by the slide mount for the additional (separate) viewfinder. Removing the screws reveals the ivory badge with "SHEW & CO LONDON, THE XIT".

It has two DDS with it, numbered 3 to 6, but carrying no obvious makers mark, but look to be original to the camera. It has a tripod mount with its original attachment key (but no legs) and its original good quality hide case.

The finder is an accessory added at some later stage (but is a very early model in itself). There is also a 2 way spirit level that may be an add-on. It is marked 'PATENT', but has no other identification.