Is this a Butcher mystery? or, do you know!?

[ian]

Hi... Could anyone tell me if this Butcher Midg. camera exists... as I have one it is not listed anywhere, I have looked for hours! Is this a very rare potato! It is none of the six Butcher listed midg. cameras, as this one has a shutter door to expose the lense and the design is somewhat different from the rest. The lens is a Beck Symmertrical & the Shutter is a Bausch & Lomb. The camera has the word 'Patent' on the front and inside where the plates are. Size is: 9.5" x 7" x 4" and it is considered as a falling plate camera.

Any guidance or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Ian

[Daniel C]

Hi Ian,
The Mc Keown's guide (latest edition) shows on page 172 a camera very similar to your specimen.
Refering to this guide, the Midg box series are magazine cameras built between c 1902 and 1920. This particular one may be a model No 0 (to be confirmed) as models No 1 to 4 have hinged front instead of a small hinged door in your case.
Negative format seems to be 3 1/4" x 4 1/4" or postcard format (3 1/4" x 5 1/2")

[ian]

Hi Daniel

Thank you for that, but it does not look like a Butcher 0, there are too many differences. Does any one else have any idea??