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Gandolfi ceases trading.

Ian Grant

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After announcing in May on the Gandolfi website that camera production would be resuming there has been a change in circumstances:

"On 13 October 2017, Edward Hill resigned from Gandolfi cameras and closed the business."

Ian
 
Actually never heard of them, but the that's sad. Who's left making 4x5 and up cameras?
 
I wasn't even aware Gandolfi was still operating, i've seen their website but i just thought it was some dead and forgotten placeholder.

Luckily there's quite a couple of large format makers left... Shenhao, Chamonix, Cassiopeia, Svedovsky, Sinar, Arca... now i think of it, LF seems the only segment that actually is in no problems with the availability of new cameras.
 
I have enough work just using 4"x5" so I never felt like using larger or better LF cameras.
 
Disappointing to see another go. It was sad to see Ebony cease production as well.
 
Gandolfi were unique and ran as a family business until the founders two sons arthur & Fred retired, the company was kept alive from 1982 by Sir Kenneth Corfield and Brian Gould. Sir Kenneth who died last year made Corfield cameras in the 1950s, and a new Corfield WA67 architectural camera in the 80's and 90.s, he died last year.

The company seems to have foundered after Brian Gould's death with few if any cameras being made. I'm lucky to own a very early half plate camera made by Gandolfi.

Ian
 
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Don't forget Canham here in the US, and Ghibbelini in Italy. If anything, LF is a growing market for boutique makers.
 
Ian - I thought that Edward had closed this off at least five years ago, if not more - at least that was what he had said on-line, so imho scarcely surprising news

Andrew
 
andrew plume said:
Ian - I thought that Edward had closed this off at least five years ago, if not more - at least that was what he had said on-line, so imho scarcely surprising news

Andrew
Click to expand...

Well, I think you have to bear this in mind, and it does appear he made at least one new camera recently from woodwork prepared by Fred and Arthur Gandolfi, it was for sale when I posted the thread - it's sold now

Ian
 
I bid on that 8x10 recently on Ebay. One of the later cameras with front swing. Definitely not as nice looking as a "real" Gandolfi (i.e when the brothers were still alive and building), but still, very nice. Not sure Fred and Arthur milled the wood for this example. As far as it goes, it went for a fair price. Still kicking myself for selling the two vintage Gandolfis I had in the early 2000's.
 
I just watched one of the videos. What a great story. These cameras will be in use for a long time to come.
 
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