Yale - Antique and Vintage Cameras

Yale No. 1

c. 1897

Early version

Adams & Co.

London

England

Image of Yale No. 1 Early version

Lens:
f7, Rapid Rectilinear, iris diaphragm to f32.

Shutter:
Two-blade pivoted shutter, behind the lens, speeds 1/8 - 1/100, spring powered, spring regulation.

Construction:
Leather covered wood body.

Format:
12, 3 ¼" x 4 ¼" plates held in bag type changing compartment.

Focusing:
Sliding box focusing to 2 yards.

Attributes:
Two brilliant view-finders.

Identification:
Early flat lid to changing compartment. Hinged door to lens compartment. Early shutter. Name plaque with recess for "Yale". Shutter speed shown on a circular plate, lever to set shutter.

Serial Number:
43 .

Notes:
Address on plaque: "81 Aldersgate St. and at 26 Charing Cross Ro". Retailer's plaque: J.J. Ribeiro. 222 Rua Aurea 226. Lisboa.

Yale No. 2

c. 1897

Adams & Co.

London

England

Image of Yale No. 2

Lens:
f6.5, 5.17" T.T.H. Cooke Series III, iris diaphragm to f32. Serial no. 5566 .

Shutter:
Sector, between-the-lens, speeds 1/2 - 1/100, spring powered, pneumatic regulation.

Construction:
Leather covered wood body.

Format:
12, 3 ¼" x 4 ¼" plates held in bag type changing compartment.

Focusing:
Bellows to 2 yards. Rack and pinion focusing.

Attributes:
Two brilliant view-finders.

Identification:
Shutter speed shown on a flat plate with a lever to change values.

Movements:
Rise and cross front.

Serial Number:
676 .

Notes:
Address on plaque: 26 Charing Cross Rd.

With:
Canvas case.

Yale No. 2

1900

Adams & Co.

London

England

Image of Yale No. 2

Lens:
f6.5, 5.18" T.T.H. Cooke Series III, iris diaphragm to f32. The lens has been engraved wrongly as "Taylor Taylor & Hobon". Serial no. 6467 .

Shutter:
Sector, between-the-lens, speeds 1/2 - 1/100, spring powered, pneumatic regulation.

Construction:
Leather covered wood body.

Format:
12, 3 ¼" x 4 ¼" plates held in bag type changing compartment.

Focusing:
Bellows to 2 yards. Rack and pinion focusing.

Attributes:
Two brilliant view-finders.

Identification:
Shutter speed shown on a rotating circular disc.

Movements:
Rise and cross front.

Serial Number:
2114 .

Notes:
Retailer: Army & Navy Auxiliary C. S. Ltd. Photographic Dept. Westminster.

With:
Green canvas case lined with green velvet.

Yale No. 1

c. 1903

Adams & Co.

London

England

Image of Yale No. 1

Lens:
f8, Rapid Rectilinear, iris diaphragm to f32. Serial no. 4221 .

Shutter:
Two-blade pivoted shutter, behind the lens, speeds 1/2 - 1/100, spring powered, pneumatic regulation.

Construction:
Leather covered wood body.

Format:
12, 3 ¼" x 4 ¼" plates held in bag type changing compartment.

Focusing:
Bellows, focusing scale to 2 yards.

Attributes:
Two brilliant view-finders.

Identification:
Rise and cross front, rack and pinion focusing. Shutter speed shown on a circular plate.

Movements:
Rise and cross front.

Serial Number:
1266 , last two digits indistinct.

Notes:
Address on plaque: 26 Charing Cross Rd.

With:
Adams case.

The Yale was a simpler and cheaper range to the Adams de Luxe. It was usually fitted with a changing bag permanently fixed to the camera, early models though could be supplied with dark-slides.

Five models were produced:

  • No. 1 - 3 ¼" x 4 ¼", Rapid Rectilinear lens.
  • No. 2 - 3 ¼" x 4 ¼", Cooke lens, superior finder, rising front and rack and pinion focusing.
  • No. 3 - 4" x 5", Rapid Rectilinear lens.
  • No. 4 - 4" x 5", Cooke lens.
  • No. 5 - 6 ¾" x 3 ¼" stereo, f7.5, 5" Ross Rapid Aplanat or a f6.3, 4 ⅛" Zeiss VIIa lens.

The No. 1 and No. 2 appeared around 1897, the No. 3 in c. 1899 and the No. 4 a little later. The No. 5 appeared in c. 1900.

On very early models the shutter operates behind the lens, later it operated between the lens and had pneumatic rather than spring regulation. The front of early models hinged down to show the lens rather than sliding upwards as in later models, this change took place after the between-the-lens shutter was fitted. At around this time the cover to the changing compartment was made much deeper and the handle was fixed to the rear of the camera, previously it connected the front and the rear spanning the focusing position.

In 1900 the improved shutter (with pneumatic regulation) was modified, the speed was now shown on a circular disc rather than on a flat plate. Around 1902/1903 the No. 1 model was fitted with rise and cross front and rack and pinion focusing, this probably amounted to utilising the same body as the more expensive models. A year or two after this the cheaper models were dropped from the range shortly followed by the other models.

The name plaques on early cameras have a curious recess where the word Yale is printed or written, this might indicate that originally the camera was to have a different name which was changed to Yale after the plaques had been produced. The Aldersgate address is sometimes scratched from the address plaque.

The changing box used on the Yale had an incline at the front of the box which lifted the plates enabling the front plate to be gripped when changing plates.

References & Notes:
Adams Yale shutter. BP 13019/1896. BJA 1898, p. 1336. BJA 1899, pp. 341, 344. BJA 1900, p. 344. BJA 1901, p. 340. BJA 1903, p. 340. BJP 10/6/1898, p. 379.


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