So, what might this old Kodak be?

[Dusty Negative]

Was just given this as a gift. But --- what is it??? Film looks like 120 with elephantiasis.

I have no idea if it works. But, it sure is purdy!

 

[Dan Daniel]

A wld guess- it's a Kodak No. 3-A Autographic model c?

https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/No._3A_Folding_Pocket_Kodak

Ilford just started their custom film size ordering window. I wonder if you can get film cut to the right size for this? Almost 4x5 negatives, it sounds like.

 

[Dusty Negative]

A wld guess- it's a Kodak No. 3-A Autographic model c?

https://camerapedia.fandom.com/wiki/No._3A_Folding_Pocket_Kodak

Quite a guess! ;-)

Looks the film stopped production in ‘71 - so this might be a beautiful (and non-functioning) conversation piece!

Cool to know that there used to be large-format roll film.

 

[BrianShaw]

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/1906-kodak-3a.184121/

 

[Dusty Negative]

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/1906-kodak-3a.184121/

Clever. I haven’t even tried to see if the shutter even works yet. But….modifying it to 120 seems reasonable.

 

[MattKing]

It will look really good in your china cabinet.
Every few months I run some 120 through the 616 camera I got about a half century or so ago for my 11th birthday. I use spacers like that. In my camera, the image comes out at 2.25" x 4.5".

 

[BrianShaw]

2.25" x 4.5".

Mine’s bigger than yours! LOL

 

[shutterfinger]

90% Isopropyl Alcohol for cleaning the leather and metal.
Pure neatsfoot oil applied sparingly in thin coats to restore the softness of the leather.
Pliobond 25 to reattach the leather to the body.
Kiwi Premium Instant Polish (liquid) in black to restore it to like new appearance.

 

[Kino]

The front standard says "3A Autographic"; does yours have the stylus in the holder below the metal flap in the back?

 

[MattKing]

Mine’s bigger than yours! LOL

But does yours have the same sort of history!?
https://www.photrio.com/forum/media/portal-of-a-different-sort.14286/

 

[Down Under]

I have one like it somewhere, in a storage box. An early 20th century relic, pre-First World War. Not worth much as an antique, but an interesting collectable, as someone has posted very lovely in a China cabinet.

The Eastman autographic system was overrated but quite a craze in the 1910s. The old Kodak amateur photo books have interesting information about them. The shutter will probably still work. Clean the lens v-e-r-y carefully. The bellows may be full of holes.

It looks too big to be a 120 'tho Eastman Kodak did make those. Likely an odd size film - 116, 117, 122.

Converting to 120 is fun. Don't expect to get anything in really sharp focus on film with it. Otherwise, an amusing project to clean and maybe restore on a cold winter's day.

A half hour's work with some bees' wax and a little Kiwi or Nugget black boot polish will make that baby shine like new.

Does it have the Kodak Autographic 'pencil' (a small Art Nouveau embossed metal stylus) in its holder at the back? Most don't. Mine did, and by some minor miracle I recently bought a homeless pencil in a charity shop for A$2. Apparently a rare collectable, those pencils.

Enjoy!!

 

[Dusty Negative]

Well, shutter opens and closes. I’d need to tape up the back cover — looks like there would be some light leaks. But — with a spacer like in the referenced thread — why not? Could be fun.

 

[Dusty Negative]

I have one like it somewhere, in a storage box. An early 20th century relic, pre-First World War. Not worth much as an antique, but an interesting collectable, as someone has posted very lovely in a China cabinet.

The Eastman autographic system was overrated but quite a craze in the 1910s. The old Kodak amateur photo books have interesting information about them. The shutter will probably still work. Clean the lens v-e-r-y carefully. The bellows may be full of holes.

It looks too big to be a 120 'tho Eastman Kodak did make those. Likely an odd size film - 116, 117, 122.

Converting to 120 is fun. Don't expect to get anything in really sharp focus on film with it. Otherwise, an amusing project to clean and maybe restore on a cold winter's day.

A half hour's work with some bees' wax and a little Kiwi or Nugget black boot polish will make that baby shine like new.

Does it have the Kodak Autographic 'pencil' (a small Art Nouveau embossed metal stylus) in its holder at the back? Most don't. Mine did, and by some minor miracle I recently bought a homeless pencil in a charity shop for A$2. Apparently a rare collectable, those pencils.

Enjoy!!

Don't see any stylus, but the back cover at least tells me this was one of the last models:

 

[mshchem]

This was the iPhone of the day. Unbelievable, I have my Grandfather's example of this same camera. The Real Photo Postcard craze of the early 20th century. Go to Ebay and search RPPC in postcards. There had to have been billions made. 3 1/2 × 5 1/2 inches.
There was an outfit in my hometown, that made paper. Kilborn Photo. Their brand was Kruxo. This fellow sold his early business to George Eastman, Mr. Kilborn spent a year in Rochester setting up. The postcards and Kruxo came later. Kilborn Photo was still around last I knew. I pulled some rolls of ink jet paper out of their dumpster 3 or so years back.

Azo, Kruxo, Velox, Cyco, etc.

 

[mshchem]

Well, shutter opens and closes. I’d need to tape up the back cover — looks like there would be some light leaks. But — with a spacer like in the referenced thread — why not? Could be fun.

Put it on a tripod, these things took great pictures. Mine isn't a autograph model, ball bearing shutter still works perfectly.

 

[mshchem]

There are very rare now, an accessory back for this camera, allowed use of single glass plates or sheet film in a sheath. High tech!

 

[Down Under]

Don't see any stylus, but the back cover at least tells me this was one of the last models:

View attachment 276746

Google (Camerapedia) tells me Kodak made the Autographic in the period 1914-1927. As you say, it look as if yours is a later model. It surprised me to see the patent info (on the camera back) dating to 1902, long before this model hit the camera stores of that time.

The condition of the inside back cover metal on yours looks good, BTW. About 800,000 were made. This also surprised me. I had not expected so many, Box Brownies yes. The Autographic was a mid-range market camera and not one of Eastman's el cheapo offerings.

You can replace the small round celluloid red window with a home-cut one. I am told these can be bought online. The red window of my camera is pristine. I also have the box and the original instruction booklet, which as I recall is dated 1922. So this may be the date my camera was produced. Like in your case, mine was also a gift, it belonged to my partner's friend's mother who had it put it away in a cupboard for many years. When her mom passed on her things were distributed to family and I was gifted with the camera. Nice.

My mention of the China cabinet was not meant as a joke, BTW. I too want to take my out someday, clean it up and put in on display in our cabinet. When properly spit-polished (those old Kodaks respond well to a little TLC), it deserves to be shown off.

A little nostalgia. I got into photography in Eastern Canada at age 14 in 1961 and for a few years I bought all my film and darkroom supplies from the now long-gone Wilcox Photo Studio in Moncton, New Brunswick which I recall had a few of these (still new) Autographics for sale in a Kodak display stand. I wish I had spent some of my poto earnings (from taking news photos and processing Verichrome Pan films for locals) to buy one or even the lot, but back then we thought of such cameras as old things, not future collectables.

 

[BrianShaw]

Put it on a tripod, these things took great pictures.

They really do! For quite a while I used the lens and shutter on mine to shoot Polaroid. Transplanted it to lens board of a view camera. Surprisingly good even with color film.

 

[Dusty Negative]

Google (Camerapedia) tells me Kodak made the Autographic in the period 1914-1927. As you say, it look as if yours is a very late model. It surprises me to say patent information going back to 1902, long before this model would have hit the camera stores of that time.

The condition of the inside back cover metal on yours looks to be very good, BTW. About 800,000 were made. This surprised me. I had not expected so many, Box Brownies yes, but the Autographic was a mid-range market camera and not one of Eastman's el cheapo offerings.

You will have to replace the small round celluloid red window with a new one. I was once told these can be bought online. The window of my camera is pristine. I also have the box and the original instruction booklet, which as I recall is dated 1922. So this may be the date my camera was produced. Like in your case, mine was also a gift, it belonged to my partner's friend's mother who had it put it away in a closet for many years. When she passed on her things were distributed to family and somehow we ended up with the camera. A nice gift.

My mention of the China cabinet was not meant as a joke, BTW. I too intend to take my out one day, clean it up and put in on display in a same cabinet. When properly spit-polished (those old Kodaks respond well to a little TLC), it deserves to be shown off.

A little nostalgia here. I got into photography in Eastern Canada at age 14, in 1961 and for a few years I bought all my film and darkroom supplies from the now long-vanished Wilcox Photo Studio in Moncton, New Brunswick which I recall still had several of these new models for sale in a beautiful old Kodak display stand. How I wish I had spent some of my photo earnings (I did news photos and processed Verichrome Pan films for locals who wanted one-day processing) to buy one or the lot...

well, I could replace tge window…or just put some tape over it. Who needs to know what frame I’m on? ;-)

 

[mshchem]

Google (Camerapedia) tells me Kodak made the Autographic in the period 1914-1927. As you say, it look as if yours is a very late model. It surprises me to say patent information going back to 1902, long before this model would have hit the camera stores of that time.

The condition of the inside back cover metal on yours looks to be very good, BTW. About 800,000 were made. This surprised me. I had not expected so many, Box Brownies yes, but the Autographic was a mid-range market camera and not one of Eastman's el cheapo offerings.

You will have to replace the small round celluloid red window with a new one. I was once told these can be bought online. The window of my camera is pristine. I also have the box and the original instruction booklet, which as I recall is dated 1922. So this may be the date my camera was produced. Like in your case, mine was also a gift, it belonged to my partner's friend's mother who had it put it away in a closet for many years. When she passed on her things were distributed to family and somehow we ended up with the camera. A nice gift.

My mention of the China cabinet was not meant as a joke, BTW. I too intend to take my out one day, clean it up and put in on display in a same cabinet. When properly spit-polished (those old Kodaks respond well to a little TLC), it deserves to be shown off.

A little nostalgia here. I got into photography in Eastern Canada at age 14, in 1961 and for a few years I bought all my film and darkroom supplies from the now long-vanished Wilcox Photo Studio in Moncton, New Brunswick which I recall still had several of these new models for sale in a beautiful old Kodak display stand. How I wish I had spent some of my photo earnings (I did news photos and processed Verichrome Pan films for locals who wanted one-day processing) to buy one or the lot...

Great story. I feel sorry for kids that miss out on these kind of things. Of course there's 12 year olds today that design and 3D print all kinds of things.

 

[MattKing]

Don't expect to get anything in really sharp focus on film with it.

You may be surprised - from my mid 1930s Six-16 (with a light leak - careful how you attach it to a tripod):

 

[Don_ih]

Or do what has been done with most of these: pull the lens and shutter, mount on a Speed Graphic (or some other 4x5), and use.

 

[BrianShaw]

well, I could replace tge window…or just put some tape over it. Who needs to know what frame I’m on? ;-)

You need to tape over the window anyway… it’s on the far edge of the 122 film, which is not even close to the 120 film and would be an ugly light leak. I established a “start arrow” and counted the number of turns of the wind knob it took to get to film. Then counted the number of turns for each frame. First using an old 120 film backing until I got the counts right.

 

[Dusty Negative]

You need to tape over the window anyway… it’s on the far edge of the 122 film, which is not even close to the 120 film and would be an ugly light leak. I established a “start arrow” and counted the number of turns of the wind knob it took to get to film. Then counted the number of turns for each frame. First using an old 120 film backing until I got the counts right.

Good gouge. I was wondering how long it would take me to figure out the spacing. You’ve saved me a roll or two. Thanks!

 

[BAC1967]

Looks very similar to my 3 Autographic Kodak Special Model A, it took 118 roll film. A sheet of 9x12 film fits perfectly, Fomapan 100 comes in 9x12. I taped over the window and use it as a one shot camera. Can also cut down 4x5 film to fit. My camera was also available with a sheet film back, wish I had that.

Kodak 3 Autographic Special Model A by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

DawC by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr