Does anyone else collect Brownies?

BrowniesAreCool · Feb 9, 2012

Does anyone else include any Kodak Brownies in their collection? If so, do you shoot with them? They're lovely cameras really. Amazing to think that these little cardboard/metal boxes still take these wonderful photos. And there's always the Folding Brownies.

Clay2 · Feb 9, 2012

I don't have any box camera models but do have a Brownie Reflex 127, non-synchro model and two Brownie

Starflash 127 cameras.

Best regards,

/Clay

Klainmeister · Feb 9, 2012

I eat them too quick to collect any substantial amount.

/beer

ColdEye · Feb 10, 2012

Klainmeister said:
I eat them too quick to collect any substantial amount.

/beer

When I eat brownies I feel so calm. It's likes it brings me to another world.

DWThomas · Feb 10, 2012

I have a Brownie Target Six-20 box camera my parents gave me new in 1949 or 1950 -- and it still works. Must have been a good investment!

tony lockerbie · Feb 10, 2012

Kazillions of them, in all colours....forget the Holgas etc., Brownies rule!

BrowniesAreCool · Feb 10, 2012

Amen.
You have colours? Awwww, I'm jealous.
I currently have:
No. 2 Folding Pocket Brownie Model B
No. 2 Brownie Model E (2x)
No. 2 Brownie Model F
No. 3 Brownie Model B
Brownie Hawkeye
Brownie 127, Second Model
Six-20 Brownie E
Brownie Six-20 Model F
Brownie Flash III
Brownie Reflex Synchro Model
Brownie Cresta
Six-20 Brownie Junior
Six-20 Popular Brownie (2x)

I also have a few non-brownie box cameras:
Kodak Hawkeye Ace
Ansco Dollar
Box Ensign 2 1/4 B
Ensign E29
Ensign Ful-Vue
Coronet Twelve-20

To be honest, I collect anything and everything!

Mike Wilde · Feb 10, 2012

There is a collection of Brownies, and all of the turn of last century photo advertising ephemera and even small doll figurines, that goes on display intermittently at different Toronto area spring camera shows from year to year.

The shows in question are run by the Photographical Historical Society of Canada.
They have a web site, PHCS.ca.
On there is a reasonable back archive of their old newsletters.
I know they ran an article on the collector sometime in the last few years. He has quite a ton of stuff Brownie related.

removed account4 · Feb 10, 2012

i use and collect box cameras of all types.
and i have been known to purchase, refurbish and sell
falling plate box cameras too.

i would rather use a box camera than anything else to be honest .. they are freeing .

john

Valerie · Feb 10, 2012

I have several. My favorite is a Hawkeye with a flipped lens.

BrowniesAreCool · Feb 10, 2012

Flipped lens? Nice. I love the dreamy shots. Maybe I'll flip the lens on my Hawkeye some day. At the moment the screws on the inside are immovable.
I forgot to add; I also have the Brownie 110 Camera.

cliveh · Feb 10, 2012

BrowniesAreCool said:
Does anyone else include any Kodak Brownies in their collection? If so, do you shoot with them? They're lovely cameras really. Amazing to think that these little cardboard/metal boxes still take these wonderful photos. And there's always the Folding Brownies.

No, but if you are into box cameras, check out this

http://box-camera.blogspot.com/

ME Super · Feb 10, 2012

Klainmeister said:
I eat them too quick to collect any substantial amount.

/beer

I too prefer to eat them instead of collect them. :munch:

Worker 11811 · Feb 10, 2012

I have 42 Brownie cameras:

10 - Baby Brownie
6 - Baby Brownie Special
1 - Brownie 2A Model C
2 - Brownie Hawkeye
3 - Brownie Hawkeye Flash
2 - Brownie Holiday
1 - Brownie Holiday Flash
1 - Brownie Reflex
1 - Brownie Scouts
1 - Brownie Starlet
4 - Brownie Target Six-16
9 - Brownie Target Six-20
1 - Brownie No. 3

I've probably got another dozen or so cameras that I haven't even cataloged yet.
I would like to take some of these Brownies out and shoot them but, like the old woman who lived in a shoe, I've got so many cameras I don't know what to do.
So many cameras and so little time.

My general plan is to keep the best example of each for display then choose a second example to take out and shoot. The rest I want to find homes for but it's hard to know where to look or who to ask.
It's not necessarily about the money or trade value of the cameras but it's more about finding somebody who appreciates them for what they are. There are so few people who even understand what they are, let alone what they are worth.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

clayne · Feb 10, 2012

Send them to BrowniesAreCool?

BrowniesAreCool · Feb 10, 2012

LOL.
You own the No. 3 Brownie? It's awesome, isn't it?
The brownie holiday isn't that readily available in the UK.
Come to think of it, neither is the Brownie Hawkeye, but I got the flash model for £5.
I love the look of the brownie targets, but again, not very common at all in the UK. Ah well, off to eBay again!
Hang on, is that the US-built Starlet, or the UK export?

BainDarret · Feb 10, 2012

I still have my Dad's 1925 No. 2 black Brownie. Made in Canada in 1925.

Worker 11811 · Feb 10, 2012

This is the Starlet I have.
This isn't a picture of my camera but it's the same model.
Mine is in similar condition. Maybe a hair bit nicer. Don't remember. It's been a while since I packed it away.
(Everything is stored in military ammo boxes with packets of silica gel inside.)

The No. 3 is still in working order, as far as I can tell but needs some cleanup.
Again, haven't had the opportunity to fully assess it.

Here's a question. If I have multiple examples of a camera, for example the "Hawkeye" and the "Hawkeye Flash" but I don't have room to keep both of them, do you suppose it's better to keep the flash model and find a new home for the standard one?

If the right person comes along, I might be interested in selling or horse trading some of these (and other) cameras.

David Brown · Feb 10, 2012

Alas, I no longer have it, but I learned to do this with a Brownie Starflash. I do have a few other models in the "collection".

nsurit · Feb 10, 2012

I'm with Valerie, flipped lens Hawkeyes rock, but don't drop them like a rock or you will have bunch of Brownie pieces. Bill Barber

cliveh · Feb 10, 2012

David Brown said:
Alas, I no longer have it, but I learned to do this with a Brownie Starflash. I do have a few other models in the "collection".

Do you mean a brownie Starmite?

HowardDvorin · Feb 10, 2012

Hello All

I have my late Mother' six-20 Brownie Jr. I am in my mid 70's and it is the camera she used to take my baby pictures.

The shutter still works but the viewfinders are not usable.

Howard Dvorin

wblynch · Feb 10, 2012

I have a Brownie Hawkeye Flash but I don't like the flipped lens craze. To me this is similar to drilling an off-center hole in an LP just to get a laugh at the oblong sound.

I would hope that people that do flip the lens put it back to normal when they tire of the novelty.

A future owner may not realize what's wrong and, after seeing their first pictures, might throw the camera away altogether.

BrowniesAreCool · Feb 10, 2012

Howard, I own a Six-20 Brownie Junior. It's likely that your viewfinders are caked in dust and dirt. You can clean them by simply popping the front plate of the camera off (may require some wriggling and prying with a small screwdriver), taking a cotton swab with some cleaning stuff (water will do though) and wipe them clean. They should then be very clear.

Ah, I see that the Starlet is the Uk export. A rebadged Brownie 127.

BrowniesAreCool · Feb 10, 2012

Here's my No. 2 Folding Pocket Brownie Model B:

Does anyone else collect Brownies?

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