Hello everyone,
I’d like to share some photos of my
Kodak No. 1 Panoram and ask for opinions about its
very low serial number.
This camera is marked
No. 1 Panoram-Kodak, with the
Patent Sept. 25, 1894 inscription on the wooden base.
The
serial number “86” is stamped into the underside of the wood near the rear hinges (see attached photos).
According to Brian Coe’s
Kodak Cameras: The First Hundred Years, production for the original Panoram model started at
#101 and continued up to about
#11183, before the later
Model B version appeared.
If that’s accurate, my example would fall
before the official production run — possibly a
pilot batch or early test unit.
Details:
- Model: No. 1 Panoram-Kodak (Original Model)
- Maker: Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y., U.S.A.
- Patent date: Sept. 25, 1894
- Serial number: 86
All the visible features match the earliest design (wood finish, top latch, and early shutter lever), so I believe it’s not a Model B.
I would be very grateful for any information or confirmation from collectors who have seen other sub-100 serial numbers — or documentation on pre-production Panorams.
Thank you for your time and expertise!
Oliver
Hungary