Graflex.org

[William Hallett]

If anyone is passing through Toronto Airport, the Malton Airport Gallery on the second floor in the departure area currently has an interesting exhibit of old cameras. Of particular interest is a 4 x 5 Press King, a press camera similar to a Crown Graphic briefly produced in Toronto in the late 1940's. The example on display is fitted with a 135 Optar in a Graphex shutter. There is no rangefinder, and the body appears to be metal, with an outline reminiscent of a Super Graphic.
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WilliamH

[Jeff L]

I did see the display at Pearson YYZ with the B&H Press King.
I did a search and there doesn't seem to be much info out there about the B&H Manufacturing Company.
It all lead me here, and to consider getting a Crown Graphic (because I can't find a Press King) to try some 4x5.

[Jody S]

I have one that I have been bringing to various camera shows, including most recently the Camerama show in Toronto.

The Photographic Historical Society of Canada puts out a monthly magazine, online-only now, but I bought a box full of their older paper issues from a retiring collector from the Niagara region, and sure enough they did a write-up on the Press King back in the 1960s (?). I went through my box, and sure enough I had that issue, except the Press King write-up was on a loose leaf insert in the mag and I didn't get that.

I was told to write to the PHSC and they would go through their archives to find that insert, but it's been a couple of years and I haven't gotten around to it yet.

In operation it's similar to a Crown Graphic except the back rotates. It's a massive, heavy cast aluminum camera, could be used as a weapon in a pinch. I don't know exactly where mine is but if anyone is interested I'll find it and post a couple images.