Long Premo Focus mahogany bellows folding field camera by Rochester Optical Company
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
late 19th century
This antique long-focus folding camera is a Long Premo model produced by the Rochester Optical Company in the United States. Dating to the late 19th century, this piece exemplifies the portable field camera technology of the Victorian era.
The camera features a body constructed from mahogany, complemented by telescopic burgundy fabric bellows designed to remain light-tight. The exterior is finished in black embossed leather and includes an original leather carrying handle. It is designed to accommodate 5×7-inch glass dry plate negatives. The instrument is equipped with a Bausch & Lomb Victor brass shutter assembly, which allows for B and T long exposures, instantaneous shutter speeds, and multi-stop aperture adjustments.
The brass hardware, including sliding rails and hinges, displays a natural vintage patina. This complete set includes original period accessories: a dedicated mahogany viewfinder, a graduated focusing scale, and a solid wood film holder. The overall construction highlights a refined blend of cabinet-making, precision optics, and mechanical metal forging typical of late 19th-century professional photographic equipment.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Materials
- Mahogany, black embossed leather, burgundy fabric, brass
- Dimensions
- Height 20 cm, base after stretching 32 x 22.5 cm
Technical characteristics
- Shutter
- Bausch & Lomb Victor brass shutter
- Film format
- 5x7-inch glass dry plate
- Shutter modes
- B, T, and instantaneous
Design
- Features
- Folding field camera design with telescopic bellows and graduated focusing scale
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
- Maker named in listing
- Rochester Optical Company
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.