From the estate of a local collector comes a lovely 4x5 Conley folding plate camera Model V from about 1907 or so. I've also seen one that looked much like it in an old Conley catalog, described as the "Queen City Pocket Camera No. 6". In case with three double-sided plate holders, copyright dated 1907. The camera and holders are in excellent condition and quite beautiful with shiny, piano-finished Honduran mahogany and brass and nickle-plated hardware. The same model (except for the handle on top of the camera) is described in the 1908 Sears catalog (which sold it as the Conley Pocket Folding Camera). Folded up the camera measures 5 3/16" x 6 1/4" x 2 1/16" thick. It's very lightweight, weighing only 1 1/4 lbs; the entire kit with camera, case and three plate holders is only 2 1/4 lbs! the lens is described as a "single anastigmat", and the shutter is a Wollensak Junior. It's air-operated but I don't have a bulb to try it with, so I don't know whether it works or not. the aperture works smoothly and the blades open and close cleanly.
The only flaws I can see in the camera are a crack about 1" in length running downward from the top of the ground glass, the hinge on the ground glass cover is deteriorating on the inside of the cover, the little hole where you're supposed to insert a fingernail to pull the ground glass cover off is worn, and the thin lather handle on top of the case is torn. Other than that, the leather covering is intact, the bellows are supple and light-tight, and the metal parts are brightly polished. The plate holders look almost unused. This is truly a beautiful camera in unusually good condition.
The price is $100 plus shipping. I take Paypal or USPS money orders (United States Postal Service ONLY!) I'm happy to provide more photos or answer questions. Thanks for looking!
Mike
The only flaws I can see in the camera are a crack about 1" in length running downward from the top of the ground glass, the hinge on the ground glass cover is deteriorating on the inside of the cover, the little hole where you're supposed to insert a fingernail to pull the ground glass cover off is worn, and the thin lather handle on top of the case is torn. Other than that, the leather covering is intact, the bellows are supple and light-tight, and the metal parts are brightly polished. The plate holders look almost unused. This is truly a beautiful camera in unusually good condition.
The price is $100 plus shipping. I take Paypal or USPS money orders (United States Postal Service ONLY!) I'm happy to provide more photos or answer questions. Thanks for looking!
Mike