Adams de Luxe - Antique and Vintage Cameras

Adams de Luxe

1898

No. 2 model

Adams & Co.

London

England

Image of Adams de Luxe

Lens:
f6.3, 5" Zeiss Anastigmat. Combinable lens: f12.5, 9" front and back groups. Diaphragm to f45. Bayonet lens mount. Serial no. 7143 7149 .

Shutter:
Spring powered sector speeded 1/2 - 1/100, pneumatic regulation. Finger and bulb release. Separate capping blade.

Construction:
Seal-skin leather covered mahogany body, black square cornered leather bellows.

Format:
3 ¼" x 4 ¼" plates held in removable changing box.

Focusing:
Bellows. Scales to 2 yards for combined lens and single lens. Double extension.

Attributes:
Two brilliant view-finders with sliding masks when using rear lens group. Two focusing scales. Two bubble levels. Removable lens/shutter.

Movements:
Rise and cross front.

Serial Number:
128 .

Notes:
Address: 26 Charing Cross Rd. London. W.C. (1892 - 1908).

With:
Two exposure record cards and pencil in rear compartment.; Carrying case.

The de Luxe was introduced to compete with the Universal cameras from N&G. It was more expensive and did not sell as well as the N&G. Advertisements stressed the advantages of the de Luxe over the Universal, such as the changing arrangement where the plates were lifted by hand rather than a lever. Optional extras included Russia leather bellows and aluminium binding.

The de Luxe was produced in three models:

  • No. 1 - Single extension with a Dallmeyer Stigmat lens.
  • No. 2 - Two focus model with double extension and a Zeiss Anastigmat V11a with similar front and rear components.
  • No. 3 - Three focus model with a Zeiss lens having different front and rear components.

Two sizes quarter-plate and 5" x 4" were regularly available, half-plate was occasionally advertised but otherwise available to special order.

A new version was introduced in 1901, this had an additional focal-plane shutter giving speeds to 1/1000. Only the two focus model advertised. A couple of years later the de Luxe ceased to be advertised. Around 1901 two cameras were made to special order one in quarter-plate size was made with solid gold fittings the other a half-plate had solid silver fittings.

An advertisement from 1899 states that it takes 400 hours of work to make a model 2 or 3 camera.

References & Notes:
BJA 1899, pp. 354, 896.; BJA 1900, p. 349.; BJA 1901, p. 349.; BJA 1902, p. 348.; YBP 1901, p. 541.; PJ 1898, p. 27.

Illustrations:
The camera with gold fittings is illustrated in Christie's Cat. 25/11/93 lot 435.

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