Is Gandalf still dating serial numbers?
I recently acquired a black Anniversary (serial number from the underside of the top board of the body: 329476). The serial number from the Kodak lens (EE1977 - which, if I understand the serial number dating system on Kodak lenses correctly 1944) would seem to affirm a wartime camera.
But I wouldn't want to assume anything about the whole based upon a removable part.

Thanks.

August of 1944. BTW are there raised pads or bumps on the bakelite strips right next to the focus rails?

Yes, as a matter of fact, there are.
The focus knob is under the the raised portion roughly on the 1/3 of the upper (which closed) / more outward (when open) portion.

Any particular significance to this design adjustment?
I can't discern any real value here as the raised portion doesn't meet with any other surface. Was it merely to reinforce a common wear spot?

They were a running change and I'm trying to nail down when they made the change, but with Graflex, nothing is easy. I suspect that for whatever reason the right focus knob was being knocked on some surface and that would bend the focus axle and break the bakelite 'cover' (for lack of a better word) to solve the problem Graflex made new covers with this reinforced area. For lack of a better term and having a penchant for simple amusements I'm calling these "speed bumps"

I don't have any corporate data on when they started. But suspect it was some time in late '42 or early '43, certainly during the Wartime Black era. But 1940-'41 Annies are showing up with them because, I suspect they were repaired.

If anybody wants to add their serial number and whether they have these bumps or not to this thread I'd appreciate it. Here's a photo of what I'm talking about

Les,
Would these bumps be only on 4x5 cameras? I have a 3x4 Anniversary serial number 399967 and with the chrome trim of post-war production. Of course the bed is narrower and there is no sign of any raised areas or bumps.
Regards,
Dave

Yeah they seem to be only on 4x5, haven't seen any yet on 3x4 but I have seen a couple of 4x5 with some rivets near these. The cameras were on ebay and of course the seller had no idea about cameras and they lousy auction photos pretty much proved it.

Also 3x4 cameras weren't made during the war so the post war models pretty much a continuation of pre war models, except for the black italic lettering on the front slider and the Graflex Inc shutter table on post '45 cameras

Les, FYI, no bumps on 320431.

Les wrote:

Also 3x4 cameras weren't made during the war so the post war models pretty much a continuation of pre war models, except for the black italic lettering on the front slider and the Graflex Inc shutter table on post '45 cameras

I hold in my right hand a 3x4 Anny Speed #3433765, which I believe would be mid '44. Block letters on the lens lock and full chrome.
Doesn't make sense to me, either.
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In late '44 FG made (well ordered) 1000 3x4 Speeds. The fun part is this order ended with 342695. there's another 1500 numbers that are lost (not recorded) yours is one of 'em. This batch was the first since April of '42 and there is no way to know if any or all of these were ever made. Further they never made a 3x4 in war-time black, at least I haven't seen it.

Hello all,
I have 3x4 speed #380240 with the post war shutter table etc.
but it has block style letters on the slider-where does it fit in?

FWIW 4x5 speed #407682 has bumps


Brian

the 3x4 come in around January of '46. Technically it should have an italic slider, maybe the had a lot of old style sliders on hand for the 3x4, or for whatever reason, it got switched out sometime in it's life.

the 4x5 is post war, late '46.

Hi,
For what it's worth, the Speed Graphic that I mentioned above (SN 399967) has block letters on the slider.
Regards,
Dave

Les wrote:

If anybody wants to add their serial number and whether they have these bumps or not to this thread I'd appreciate it.

#346141 has the bumps.
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I have info on these raised bumps in some literature somewhere. The chances of finding it again a slim, though. If I remember correctly, the mod came out during the time of the Graflex "Re-Newal" program during the war. It was brought about to cure a flaw in that piece that left it subject to cracking and causing looseness in the focus mechanism. I have had several with the original part that was bulged up and cracked. There was never ny sign of it being caused by damage to the camera. My observation is that it was just a flaw n the part. It would probably be extremely difficult to pin down a definite date for this mod in regular production. My guess is it became standard for all 4X5s when the war ended.
I'll edit this and add: If you think about this, the early Anny's used the same basic design for this part as the Pre-Anny models. What most likely caused the problem was the addition of the focus lock feature. That puts pressure on the part, which it couldn't handle.

Les:

Both of my 4X5 Annies have the bumps:

324917, black

392343, full civilian chrome. This must be a very late Annie. It has a 127 Ektar on it that I think is original, and it is an ES for 1947



One of my 3X4 Annies is either right before the war or in the first war year; it is number 286145, and has an Ektar 127 that is an EC for 1941