Graflex.org

[takemeouttotheballgame]

This camera is said to have belonged to an important photojournalist. It is a 5x7 Press Graflex with an Apochromat Artar lens. I am trying to determine if there is anything about the camera or the lens that can date it or, at least, that would rule out a date prior to 1911.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here are the images:
[img]http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/colesanchez1/media/IMG_5991_zpszdzogn0r.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3[/img]

[img]http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/colesanchez1/media/IMG_5993_zpsx00k8pdz.jpg.html?sort=3&o=5[/img]

[img]http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/colesanchez1/media/IMG_5992_zpsc8efgxeg.jpg.html?sort=3&o=1[/img]

[img]http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/colesanchez1/media/image_zps5hlozgdx.jpeg.html?sort=3&o=6[/img]

[45PSS]

Your image links come up with a " Please Update Your Account to Enable 3rd Party Hosting" notice.

Graflex SLR's have the serial number embossed in the view hood door behind the view hood, early models may have the serial number embossed in the view hood frame which will be hard to see, or the front standard door.
Most lens serial numbers were not recorded or the record kept/made public.

Graflex serial numbers were not recorded until after 1907 and the current record starts in 1915 with no accurate dating until 1923. They were 5 digits until approximately 1918 when they changed to 6 digits.

5x7 Press Graflex were produced from 1907 until 1923.
https://graflex.org/graflex-products-list.html
_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

[takemeouttotheballgame]

Thank your for your quick reply. I've asked the owner for the Press Graflex's serial number. In the meantime, Im wondering whether it's possible to place the lens within a certain date range in the absence of other information. I saw something online that said, for example, that the Artar lens was introduced in 1922. If that is accurate, it would likely prove this camera to be something other than what it is purported to be.

[45PSS]

According to A Lens Collectors Vade Mecum, http://www.antiquecameras.net/lensvademecum.html , says C.P. Goertz Berlin, Germany introduced the Atar in 1904. C.P. Goertz American Optical Company was founded in 1899.

A camera's lens can be changed out at any point in time so its hard to tell if the lens is factory original or not. A low serial number on the lens will suggest it is original.

The Press Graflex was available without a lens or with Kodak Zeiss or B&L Zeiss lens.
http://piercevaubel.com/cam/catalogs/1908sweetwallachlp767.htm page 25.
Kodak purchased Folmer and Schwing in 1905. Folmer and Schwing became Graflex in later years.
_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

[Dan Fromm]

Although the Artar (later Apo Artar) was designed in Germany, nearly all of the Apo Artars circulating in the US were made by Goerz American. Goerz American spent most of its existence as a stand alone firm with no relationship at all to the German Goerz firm. The German Goerz firm was merged into what became Zeiss Ikon around 1927.

Here http://www.largeformatphotography.info/classic-experts.html is a list of Goerz American serial numbers. I’m not at all sure that these are correct or even make sense.