Antique AGFA Ansco 8X10 Studio Camera w Zeiss Protar Lenses Rare

A gorgeous 1920's-era AGFA Ansco 8x10 inch master studio portrait camera with some very rare features. $2750 or best offer. 171 pounds of desirable antique camera and hard-to-find accessories. This set includes the AGFA Ansco camera body with original leather bellows in great shape, ILEXPO 9X9 inch lens board assembly with Decker German compound pneumatic shutter with synchronized electric powder flash gun trigger and all major features working, Zeiss Protar 48 cm lens and rare massive matching Zeiss 59 cm Protar lens, correct AGFA rear camera spring-back frame with ground focus glass, the matching original iron and cherry wood sliding carriage stand by AGFA Ansco with all gears and movement controls working well, 3 film plate holders, and lastly an absolute camera collector/user unicorn - an ultra-rare Folmer Graflex title card holder integrated into the AGFA stand. We have used this camera to take lots of pictures - it can be rolled into a studio and put to work, or can be the centerpiece of a great camera collection. Willing to sell the camera without the stand if requested. Below is a more detailed description of this 100-year-old camera set:

AGFA Ansco camera body; original leather bellows in good shape, body is made largely from solid cherry wood with original finish, has all original brass and steel fittings, has a brass nameplate matching the two other nameplates on this camera set 'MANUFACTURED IN U.S.A. BY AGFA ANSCO CORPORATION BINGHAMTON N.Y.'. This body is an early version with nearly all fittings and gears being brass and not steel. All original controls work smoothly including tilt, swivel and forward/back. Body overall dimensions - 29 inches long, 18 wide and 21 tall, 37 pounds with shutter and lenses.

ILEXPO (ILEX Optical Co) 9X9 inch shutter board assembly with frame in cherry wood; has 7X7 oak lensboard with dual-lens compound pneumatic German-made Friedrich Deckel shutter / lens mount No 719961 - shutter operates via air bulb and 10 ft tubing to original DeGroff-type pneumatic air cylinder on back of shutter, the dual exposure settings of 'Instantaneous' and 'Bulb' seen on lower right of lensboard both work correctly. Shutter assembly also has the optional synchronized electric powder flash gun trigger with 8 ft dual-wire external gray electric cord. Shutter has the indicator marked 'F' for focusing as seen on upper right of lensboard. Shutter speeds vary with control changes, speeds not tested for accuracy. All major features used/tested repeatedly and working well.

Fitted to the rear of the Deckel shutter is a Carl Zeiss Jena 48 cm Protarlinse (Protar) lens and fitted to the front is a rare massive matching Carl Zeiss Jena 59 cm Protarlinse lens. The rare 59 cm Zeiss lens is in excellent condition, the 48 cm Zeiss has small chips around the edge and testing did not show any impact on the pictures we took. The 59 cm lens is marked 'Carl Zeiss Jena Nr. 227351 Protarlinse VII f = 59 cm', the 48 cm is marked 'Carl Zeiss Jena Nr. 74246 Protarlinse VII f = 48 cm'. The 59 cm lens is good for up to a 12X15 inch plate.

AGFA rear camera spring-back frame made of cherry wood, has all its original brass and steel fittings and springs, includes a new professional 8X10 ground focusing glass, an extra 8X10 focusing acrylic plate. Includes 3 film plate holders, one AGFA and two Eastman Kodak, all in working condition. The rear frame has a brass nameplate matching the two other nameplates on this camera set 'MANUFACTURED IN U.S.A. BY AGFA ANSCO CORPORATION BINGHAMTON N.Y.'.

The matching original iron and cherry wood sliding carriage stand by AGFA Ansco with all gears and movement controls working well, correct new red felt on platform (original cloth on stand was red), original finish in good condition, platform bottom has a receptacle for an extra film plate holder. The platform is 31 inches long and 17 wide. The stand has a brass nameplate matching the two other nameplates on this camera set 'MANUFACTURED IN U.S.A. BY AGFA ANSCO CORPORATION BINGHAMTON N.Y.'. Overall dimensions of stand - 50 inches tall, 37 wide and 34 inches long, weight of stand is 111 pounds. For shipping, stand easily folds into more compact dimensions and instructions with pictures will be included to reassemble the stand.

An exceptionally rare 1916-patented Folmer Graflex title card holder was integrated into the AGFA stand from new. This card holder is original to this camera, and is a mechanical marvel - the camera operator can adjust tilt and height of the card by a set of wooden knobs that rotate internal tubes which drive brass gearsets at the front end of the camera - one knob raises/lowers the card holder and the other knob adjusts tilt of the card. Inside these two control tubes, there is a spring assembly that provides some tension to the card holder by a dual string and pulley system. Just a bizarre, brilliant and elegant design. The title card holder attachment bracket is marked 'PATENTED SEPT. 12 1916, FOLMER GRAFLEX CORP, ROCHESTER N.Y. U.S.A.' Overall length of the card holder is 52 inches, weight 20 pounds.

Will deliver free in Regina area, curbside pickup available, shipping available (ship weight 285 pounds). See our other sales for additional rare and interesting items.