This is for the antique humongobrass lens sort of folk

[sun of sand]

I went to an auction tonight and saw this huge freakin' brass lens:o
Outside brass not in great cosmetic shape ..lots of scratches
Glass looked very good. no dust inside but lots outside, no fungus etc
It must have been 11-14 inches in length with glass about 4 1/2? inches wide

Rapid Portrait F-5
Series III, I believe? Not quite remembering now
I believe the makers name was "F.E. Adams" or something along those lines
pretty sure it was Adams

Had glass in front and back so not a meniscus but didn't count reflections
or try to estimate focal length


1 Waterhouse stop that was around 1 1/2 inch wide (about 40% the glass diameter ..I figure like f16 for large groups or something

Came with about a 6 inch lensboard


I didn't have enough money on me after buying other cameras and kodak spotting color sets/oil paints
Sold for $70 and I kicked myself home ..gentleman didn't want to sell, either



Just wondering. I would have outbid the guy otherwise ..they were dropping like flies at around $50

[Jim Fitzgerald]

After my $90.00 Darlot, I said no more lenses....... at least for now!!

Jim

[sun of sand]

Hey, that's a big one, too. Not as big as the one that isn't mine -sounds like the old big fish that got away story

..and you received no replies on it? well, maybe it's just getting a bit old on the forums these brass lens threads

I won't go to another auction with less than $100 again!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

I have to stop looking! Now that I'm out of money I'd better stop looking or it gets really crazy when a great deal comes along. These big brass lenses are great and if people don't want to pick them up I'm sure you and I will. As far as mine goes I'm mounting it to a lens board today and I'll shoot with it on Saturday. With a little work the beat up lens is great. The glass is almost perfect.

Jim

[gandolfi]

it would be nice to see images of the lenses in question...

I have a biggy.. (see picture)

it is 28cm tall - 15 cm wide (11x6) and weighs 8kg's!!

the image circle is surprisingly small - max 8x10...

and the only camera I have that is big enough (and sturdy enough) to carry it is a 12x16 gandolfi - far bigger than the lens requires....

[sun of sand]

I have to stop looking! Now that I'm out of money I'd better stop looking or it gets really crazy when a great deal comes along. These big brass lenses are great and if people don't want to pick them up I'm sure you and I will. As far as mine goes I'm mounting it to a lens board today and I'll shoot with it on Saturday. With a little work the beat up lens is great. The glass is almost perfect.

Jim

I know. I don't even have a camera for such a lens ..So I would have then been forced to get one
LOL a camera came up on craigslist last night, too
I'm lucky it was a seneca camera city view 6.5x8.5 or else it would have seemed just too cruel

[sun of sand]

it would be nice to see images of the lenses in question...

I have a biggy.. (see picture)

it is 28cm tall - 15 cm wide (11x6) and weighs 8kg's!!

the image circle is surprisingly small - max 8x10...

and the only camera I have that is big enough (and sturdy enough) to carry it is a 12x16 gandolfi - far bigger than the lens requires....

This one looked quite similar to that one.
I think the lens board was more 8x8 now that I think about it
Printed lettering not script and more info written on it than yours, it seems
I remember Series III or maybe a b somewere and maybe there was a 7 haha
It once was used with a packard shutter or whatever as there were remains of a bulb hose in the same box
It was a nice lens ..not at all ugly cosmetically, just not museum quality.
Glass was perfect or close enough to it.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Well, I got mine on my Seneca 8x10 and it sure looks nice. I will try it out on the 11x14 camera I built this weekend to check coverage. The Seneca holds it easily and I'm not sure about the 11x14. I had the front standard different than my Seneca but we will see.

Jim

[sun of sand]

"this weekend"
?

..what are you doing nex

At least someone got a neat lens to try out

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Sunday I have a Portrait/Nude workshop. I hope to use a couple of my lenses for this. The camera is at the studio and if my lens fits I will use it there. What else to build....... I have some ideas!!

Jim