Camera - Internationale Camera A.-G, 'Zeiss Ikon Icarette', Dresden, Germany, circa 1929-1931

Zeiss Ikon Icarette folding bed camera manufactured by Internationale Camera A.-G. (ICA), Dresden, circa 1929-1931. The camera has a Carl Zeiss Jena 1:4.5/105mm Tessar lens with a Compur leaf shutter of speeds 1 sec. to 1/250 sec. The camera takes 2 1/2 × 4 1/4 inch pictures on 120 roll film.

In 1909, the four camera makers Hüttig AG in Dresden, Kamerawerk Dr. Krügener in Frankfurt/M, Wünsche AG in Reick near Dresden and Carl Zeiss Palmos AG in Jena joined forces to become the Internationale Camera A.-G. (ICA) in Dresden. This particular camera came into the Museums Victoria collection after it was used by Sergeant (later Group Captain) Eric Douglas during the British and New Zealand Antarctic Research Expedions [BANZARE] of 1929-1931. It was also used later on the Lincoln Ellsworth relief expedition of 1935-1936, in Antarctica. The Museum holds a collection of images taken by Eric Douglas in Antarctica using this camera.

The Zeiss Ikon Icarette was produced between 1927 and 1936. Eric Douglas purchased his in 1929 shortly before embarking on the BANZARE expedition. Black, metal and leather folding-bed camera with chrome fittings. It has a leather strap on the top for hand held carrying; black accordion pleated bellows for focal plane focusing and a waist level viewfinder.