I run a business in Ohio called The Bear Necessities. We offer a service to our clients to sell their items for them primarily on eBay. A doctor client of ours is seeking our help to sell the Folmer & Schwing camera that I have enclosed his picture of below. I am by no means an expert in this area and am doing research to properly describe this camera for him. From what I have run across so far, perhaps this is a tall building camera. The overall length is 87" while the bed under the camera is 72" long. It is 60" high. I was wondering if you might be able to share your opinion of the piece with me and offer any insight. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Bill Miller

A picture of the camera can be viewed at http://www.nls.net/mp/wmiller/folmer1.jpg

I can be emailed at bearnec@nls.net

Wow! I look forward to the replies to this one!

If the assembly visible at the left, attached to the bed, is some sort of copyholder, then it's possible that this is a graphic-arts "process" camera designed to make negatives for photoengraving. It doesn't look as though it's designed for field work, although very large cameras certainly took the field in the last decades of the 19th Century.

It would be interesting to know the width and height of the back. If a lens is fitted, any inscription on it might be helpful.

Something about this camera looks familiar, which means I probably have a description of it somewhere in all the junk I call my "archives". By the time I'm able to locate it, it will probably be too late for your intended purpose. I will try but don't hold your breath.

Universal Labratory camera.

IE copy camera for rayographs and slides.

circa 1900-1920s