identification of a tourist camera

[jnanian]

there was an early post card type camera called the mandelette .
it had a afixed chemical tank for processing images.
like your camera, it required a direct positive paper,
like those used in modern day photo booths ...
the shutter was snapped, the hand put into the sleeve and dropped into
the tank ( in the case of the mandelette it was below the camera ) ...
it was probably a proprietary monobath developer in the tank ... not sure.
the mandelette looked kind of like a box camera ..
yours is much more interesting, bellows and all

maybe you can find some of that efke direct positive paper,
flash it so the contrast isn't crazy and mix a monobath and see how it works

good luck!

john

[Farside]

Ah, but you see, I have only ever seen one of these such cameras, and in the Alinari museum in Florence. Before then, I had no idea that the predecessor of Polaroids had been mobile darkrooms attached to a camera. I am rather fascinated.

I recall something of the type being used in seaside resorts in the UK, back in the early 60s. They disappeared soon after, as the market dwindled for nearly instant pics. As Polaroids took hold and the large processing houses became established for holiday film rolls, the prices plummeted, so folk were less inclined to fork out a relatively large amount for pic of them on the Prom.

[Farside]

I recall something of the type being used in seaside resorts in the UK, back in the early 60s. They disappeared soon after, as the market dwindled for nearly instant pics. As Polaroids took hold and the large processing houses became established for holiday film rolls, the prices plummeted, so folk were less inclined to fork out a relatively large amount for pic of them on the Prom.

Here's something I've just found; a very similar camera in use until recently... http://intersections.anu.edu.au/issue8/mchoul.html paragraphs 5 and 6.

[TheFlyingCamera]

Here's something I've just found; a very similar camera in use until recently... http://intersections.anu.edu.au/issue8/mchoul.html paragraphs 5 and 6.

Funny thing about that article- the author asserts that this street photography via photographing on paper, then re-photographing again on paper to produce a positive may be a uniquely Indian thing, but I myself have seen it being done in Spain and in Latin America in recent years.