Houghton-Gennert Ensign Post Card

Manufactured by collaboration with Houghtons Ltd., London, UK and G.Gennert, New-York, USA, London Made

Model: c.1910, (produced between 1909-1915 ?)

There is a small round plate on the right side of the camera: Houghtons Ltd. London, G.Gennert New-York, London Made and Ensign logo

Folder bed film camera, film:122 roll-film "Post-card", picture size: 8.25x13.9cm (3.1/4''x5.1/2'') , (I suspect that this camera is a Dual concept one and maybe it uses plate film: 9x14 cm, but plate holder as a camera back cover is lost)

Lens: : Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. Rapid Rectilinear, (Engravings around the lens), focal length and aperture numbers are not stamped on the lens,

must be f/6.3 as to aperture scale, filter slip-on, serial no.none

Aperture: f/6.3-f/45 setting: lever and scale on the lens-shutter barrel

Focusing: bellows focusing via an index pointer; distance scale on the left of the bed plate, sliding towards the index F P A, just behind it, (this feature must be for adjusting focusing range of distance scale for plate and roll-film)

Focus range: 5-25 feet (1.5-7.6 m) +inf

Shutter: Engraving on the dial: General, and above the aperture scale IIFX Shutters>, this is a simple, very old type leaf shutter, speeds: 1/5-1/100, +T& B

setting : dial on top of the lens-shutter barrel

Cocking lever and Shutter release: same lever, on the lens-shutter barrel, for speeds press once the lever then the shutter cocks, opens and closes

Viewfinder: Brilliant waist level finder, turning on its own axis for landscape pictures, on the top left of the lens standard, there are clues on the finder and lens standard that there were spirit level and a wire sports finder, (lost !)

Winding lever: on the right side of the camera

Bellows: single-extension, slides vertically by a latch on the lens standard for parallax correction,

Bellows opening: open the front cover by pressing the knob on upper right side of the camera (under the leatherette), then pull-out the bellows by handles on front of it engaging on the rails of bed plate until it clicks on the inf. on the distance scale, unlock for focusing or closing by small silver lever on the left side of the lens standard

Camera leg: on the front cover, removable, when closing the camera, it can be stored in the bed plate by special clamps

Flash PC socket: none

Self-timer: none

Back cover: Removable, opens by a latch on top of the camera, w/ red window

Film loading: by special spool loosening mechanisms, there is a wooden take up spool,

3.1/4'' in length

There is a sticker inside of the back cover: "Post Card "Ensign", Trade Mark "Ensign", Daylight Loading, Use the British Made "Ensign" Roll Films, They are Fastest and the Best, The 3.1/4'' A.Spool Fits This Camera, and Ensign Logo"

Tripod socket: two, 1/4'', on the right side and front cover

Lugs for hand strap

Body: metal, Weight: 1174g, Dimensions:12x22x24cm

serial no. 8595 (on the backside of the lens standard)

I named this camera as to the sticker and small round plate on it.

There is almost no info abut this camera in the Internet and McKeown's.

Matt Denton says:

"Patent June 14, 1910" (1914?)

and Canemah Studio, a member of Flickr, says in the description of his camera's photo:

"It was manufactured with a collaboration between the Houghton Ltd. of London and Gennert company of New York in the early 1900's, probably between 1911-1915. It's a very uncommon camera and information on this particular model has been difficult to find. The attention to detail is fantastic and the workmanship of British cameras is quite remarkable and beautiful."

A brief history about Houghtons in pre-WW1 era:

Haughtons dates back to 1814 as a glass seller. Then they began to distribute the Daguerreotype requzites. After 1904 the firm produced a vast range of cameras and absorbed some small camera makers. From 1900 until around 1909, a large number of Houghtons' cameras were German imports, primarily Dr.Krugener.

There are many similarities between this camera and some Dr.Krugener models. So, it could be that my camera is a kind of copy of Krugeners.

More info and most similar ones in the internet: Rubylane, houghtonproducts,

ensigncamerapage and ozcamera

 

Done