241 - Soupault, Paris | 900mm Petzval Lens

Soupault, Paris | 900mm Petzval Lens Estimate: €15,000–17,000 Year: 1874 Condition: B- English: Exceptionally large French brass lens of Petzval construction, inscribed on the edge of the front element “Soupault, Paris 1874.” Approx. 900 mm focal length, overall height approx. 50 cm, with a front element approximately 16 cm in diameter and an estimated maximum aperture of approximately f/4. With its extraordinary dimensions and unusually high speed, the lens was clearly intended for a highly specialized large-format application. While Petzval lenses were primarily developed for portrait photography, the monumental focal length and aperture of this example suggest that it may have been constructed for astronomical or other scientific photographic use. Only very few lenses by Soupault are documented today, and we are not aware of any comparable example of these dimensions. A remarkable example of French optical craftsmanship from the wet-plate era, complete with a front shutter cap. German: Exceptionally large French brass lens of Petzval design, inscribed “Soupault, Paris 1874” on the edge of the front element. Focal length approximately 900 mm, total height approximately 50 cm, front lens approximately 16 cm in diameter, and estimated maximum aperture of 1:4. Due to its extraordinary size and high light intensity, the lens was evidently intended for a specialized large-format application. Although Petzval lenses were primarily developed for portrait photography, the enormous focal length also suggests a use in astronomical or other scientific photography. Today, very few Soupault lenses are documented; we are not aware of any comparable example of this size. A remarkable testament to French optical craftsmanship from the collodion era, complete with a front lens cap.