I just chanced a russian auction and got a really nice lens. it is a Carl Zeiss Jena Protar 244 f8. I am assuming these are a series IIa? Does anyone know what kind of coverage to expect from the lens? I am guessing it should be pretty good.
I have had a hard time finding information on the older protars.
You're right, that's a Serie IIa. And the front is "all correction", with all the power in the rear cell. It was patented in 1893, the name changed from "Anastigmat" to "Protar" in 1900, and went out of production sometime between 1901 and 1910.
That, unfortunately, is about all I know about it. I can guess at a coverage of about 80 degrees? That would mean it should almost, but not quite cover 30x40cm (12x16").