Dating a Graflex RB 2x3 Series B

[Sam_PNW]

I have an RB Series B 2x3, serial number stamped underneath the top metal door is 141143. Next to it written in pencil is “T11266”. Underneath the hood also in pencil is “RB Jr” “2 1/4 3 1/4” and something else I can’t make out. The lens is a B&L Tessar, s/n 2514069 - I don’t think there’s a way to date based on the s/n. The lens has the patent date which I think changed in 1927 or so to be the patent number instead, so that’s something.
From a list of Graflex serial number online I find

119544 – RB Series B – spring 1922, listed as a Tele
154561 – RB Series B – 1926

I assume then that this is dated to sometime in the later part of that range, 1922-1926. I wonder why the hood has penciled in RB Jr, perhaps it was replaced at some point?

 

[shutterfinger]

Last quarter 1924.

 

[Dan Fromm]

s/n 141143 was issued in 1924 to a 2x3 Graflex RB.

s/n 154561 was issued in 1926 to a 2x3 Graflex RB.

s/n 119544 was issued in 1922 to a 4x5 RB Telescopic Graflex.

 

[shutterfinger]

Dan,
what reference are you looking at? Are you seeing a 7 as a 1?

 

[Dan Fromm]

Fair question, Charles. I cut and pasted the serial numbers from the first post in this discussion. I looked up the first two in a table in my unpublished article on 2x3 Graphic and Graflex cameras. Those two and the third came from the book.

I just checked the book, found that my table contains errors. I've edited post #3 above to reflect what's in the book.

Wrong again. Table's fine, I took years from the wrong column. Shame on me.

 

[Sam_PNW]

Thanks, Dan and shutterfinger. It looks rough on the outside, and the trapezoid mirror is tarnished and dim, but functionally it works well after some cleaning. Bellows are light tight if a bit stiff. Shutter doesn’t have any pinholes or creases, and speeds are accurate to 1/2 stop - good enough for me. I had to mod a broken Graflex roll holder to fit the back - focus is now a little off, but I’ll get a proper holder for it and then shim the ground glass if I need to after replacing the mirror. I ran a roll of Fomapan 100 through, this was shot wide open - really love those old Tessar lenses!