Please help identify this contraption

[Erik L]

HI folks, does anyone know what camera this shade might be from or what it will possibly work with? The ruler is 6 inches. It has a couple filter holders approximately for 4 inch filters. The lens attachment is removable and has 77mm threads. The useful bellows extension is 6 inches give or take. It appears that it would attach to a front standard or lens board and then attach to a lens with the threaded ring. Does anyone know what camera or system it belongs too? There are no indications of the manufacturer on it. Thanks folks!
Erik

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think you've got it right. It's a compendium lens shade or a matte box. It probably doesn't attach to the camera, but just to the lens by means of a step up ring. If the rear ring is 77mm, it should take 3x3" filters on the rear standard, and the front standard is for masks for longer lenses and hokey vignette effects they used to do with things like heart-shaped masks or tricky double exposures and such.

 

[Erik L]

Thanks David, I can't wait to try out those heart shaped photos

 

[JBrunner]

As David suspects, looks like half of a vignetter. They usually have another bellows that allows you to move the cut out forwards and back. They can be for cameras or enlargers. My Beseler 5x7 enlarger came with a vignetter. For some reason I've never been remotely interested in messing with it.

 

[Erik L]

Makes sense Jason as it came with a bunch of darkroom stuff I picked up a while back. It's got a rack and pinion for moving it for and aft but seems a little clunky for camera use. I was hoping it was some rare piece of kit that was actually useful, instead I have to take it to the carnival and take heart shaped portraits of young lovers
Erik

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

It's not too different from the Lindahl compendium shade. You can look that one up to see how it works.