Wasp Photo Enlarger

VintageAaron91

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Hello everyone,

I was wondering if anyone could help identify my new enlarger... It was made by a company called WASP. I have attached some photos for reference, does anyone know what model of WASP it is or able to give me some idea of date please?

Thank you all in advance.
 

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  • Compress_20240331_215213_3926.jpg
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  • Compress_20240331_215213_3099.jpg
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Rick A

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All I remember is they were British manufacture from the 40's and 50's era. They made a couple of models including a 4x5 (5x4) model.
 

Mick Fagan

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I remember using one, it was a 4x5" model which was used to do 6x9 negatives.

It was sort of the same construction, but it was built with head like a long piece of pipe instead of a bulb shape like yours.
 

Paul Howell

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I did a Google search, seems that Wasp made several models, the model that OP has looks like the 6X6 and 35mm version, both the 6X9 and 4X5 have the same tall "tube" look, they look a lot like the old American Federal enlarger's from the same time frame.
 

Ian Grant

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I don't know how long Wasp were around for. The major. UK amateur enlarger manufacturer was Gnome. surprisingly they made a 7x5 camera.



My first enlarger in 1968 was the little Universal 35mm enlarger, on the far right. It was still NIB from the late 1940s.

I'll have quick look for Wasp adverts in post WWII BJP Almanacs.

Ian
 

MattKing

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Does anyone else wonder if the Wasp company name was inspired by the shape of their product?
 

Ian Grant

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A quick look at BJP Almanacspst WWII shows they were introduces just after WWII in 1945, the last reference is in 1955.

Immediately after WWII there are quite a number of new British enlargers, Gnome the most popular. Some must. have been making equipment for the Government/Military during the war. Gnome, Technaphot, WWiliamson. Then new enlargers from Blumfield, Envo ,Johnsons, KLB, MPP<Omega (British), Peckomat, Photax, P.P.l., Reid, that's by 1948 and followed by De Vere.

Many of the companies were short lived. We had severe import restrictions until the early 1950s.

Ian
 

eli griggs

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Leica Barnak fans will tell you that when WWII ended, Germany lost its copyrights to their cameras, etc.

This looks to be an outsized series based on the Leica/Leitz Valloy, to me.

If you know which non-camera Leica/Leitz product reproduced by non-German companies after 1945, please share!
 

Ian Grant

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There were already similar enlargers pre-WWII here in the UK, also some far better enlargers, much more modern design. So unlikely to be a Leitz copy.

Ian
 

Mick Fagan

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I found this while doing a search for images to see if I could find one that looked like I remembered.

As far as I can remember this is what I used to enlarge 6x9 negatives, but I don't remember it having gold bellows. The owner of the enlarger brought it with him when he emigrated to Australia from Belgium (I think). I used it around 1975/6.

 
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