218 - Monroe Camera Co., Rochester, New York | Monroe No. 1

Monroe Camera Co., Rochester, New York | Monroe No. 1 Estimate: €800–1,000 Year: 1898 Condition: B/A English: Rare American 4×5-inch folding handheld/tripod camera. Constructed of highly polished wood with black morocco-grain leather covering, leather bellows, and all-brass metal parts that are polished and lacquered. It was equipped with a single achromatic lens featuring rotating stops and an instantaneous and time shutter. It also featured an engraved focusing scale, a pivoted viewfinder, ground glass, and a focusing screen with a sky shade. Of particular interest is the dealer’s plate from Hoh & Hahne, Leipzig, documenting the early German distribution of this short-lived Rochester-made camera. Provenance: Deutsches Fotomuseum, Markkleeberg. German: Rare American 4 × 5-inch folding camera for handheld and tripod shots. Made of highly polished wood with black, grained leather covering and a leather bellows; all brass parts are polished and lacquered. Equipped with a simple achromatic lens with rotating aperture blades. The camera also features an engraved distance scale, a swiveling viewfinder, a ground glass screen, and a focusing screen with a light shield. Of particular interest is the dealer’s label from Hoh & Hahne, Leipzig, which documents the early German distribution of this camera, which was manufactured in Rochester for only a short time. Provenance: German Museum of Photography, Markkleeberg.