John Stock
Wet Plate Camera
c. 1866In 1866 the American Optical Company acquired the John Stock Company. In this same year the Am. Optical Co. manufactured this 1/4 plate size, tailboard style, studio camera for wet collodion plates. "Am. Optical Co., Manufacturer, N.Y." is stamped diagonally on top of both rear bed corners and is also stamped on the outer door of the plate holder. The plate holder is also marked on the inside corners with a number "4" on one side and "Pat. 1864" on the other. The square plate holder allows vertical or horizontal plate formats. The camera has adjustable movements horizontally and vertically on the back where the plate holder attaches, so that up to four multiple exposures can be made on one plate. A side hinged ground glass focusing screen swings out of the way to slide the plate holder into place. A drip trough protects the bed from the wet emulsion leaks and spills. Last but not least a brass barrel, quarter plate, N.Y. Optical Company radial drive focus lens is mounted on the removable lens board. The adjustments on the camera bed were used to rough focus and then the radial drive was used to refine the exact focus. The American Optical Company was bought out by the Scovill Manufacturing Company in 1867, thus there is no question that the exact year of manufacture must be 1866.
This view is of the front left side. The heavy black leather, square cornered bellows have been extended for viewing.
© 1997 BRAD W. TOWNSEND
This view shows the right side, the rear bed, the rear standard and the ground glass focusing screen in the focusing position.
© 1997 BRAD W. TOWNSENDThis is the inside of the plate holder with the door open. The metal spring in the middle of the door holds the plate tightly in place when the door is shut. Since the plate holder can only be installed on the back of the camera one way the inside corners are cut out so that the plate can be turned for a horizontal or vertical format. There is a very heavy coating of dried silver
collodion that can be seen on the lower corners and the bottom of the holder. The wooden, light protective, dark slide is in place and is also stained with silver collodion that was leaked.
© 1997 BRAD W. TOWNSENDThis view shows how the ground glass viewing / focusing screen is swung out away from the back of the camera so that the plate holder can slide into place. The small
adjustments for controlling horizontal and vertical back movements can be seen on the top and the right side of the back. Also the focusing knobs and the plate holder retaining spring can be seen .
© 1997 BRAD W. TOWNSENDThe plate holder has been installed on the back of the camera. Remove dark slide and make exposure.............imagine.
© 1997 BRAD W. TOWNSEND
The drip trough can be seen just under the
rear of the swinging ground glass back. The black brass retaining spring that holds the plate holder in place is that strange looking part sticking out above the drip trough. The focus knobs can be seen on the back bed and the lens in front.
© 1997 BRAD W. TOWNSEND
A quarter plate size wet plate lens by N.Y.
Optical Works with radial drive focus is mounted on the front removable lens board. A brass lens cap was used as the shutter and the lens also has a slot for Waterhouse stops, although the lens cap, stops and sun shade have been lost.
© 1997 BRAD W. TOWNSEND
PROVENANCE
This John Stock Wet Plate Camera was originally purchased by Mr. O.W. Detwiler for use in his daguerreotype, ambrotype and photograph studio in downtown Canton, Missouri. The original studio as well as Mr. Detwilers residence was on the second floor of the two story building that overlooks the Mississippi river. The studio was in operation from the late 1850's until the early 1900's. The well made studio building still stands today and this camera was discovered in the attic above the original studio in 1994 while the present owner of the building was doing some renovation work and installing a chimney vent for a pizza oven for his down stairs business. Hearing about this unusual find from a mutual acquaintance, I contacted the building owner and in 1996 I purchased this camera and the original mahogany tripod (not shown, yet!) from the building owner. Among the other rediscovered treasures found in the attic of Mr. Detwilers studio that I acquired was a 6th plate daguerreotype plate box, three full plate ambrotypes, a few smaller ambrotypes, a box full of various size wet plate negatives as well as a box full of various size dry plate negatives. Also found in the attic was a Southworth and Hawes style, Simon Wing Multiplying View Camera c.1855 and a complete 8"x10" studio camera and stand by E.&H.T.Anthony c.1880 with a sliding 5"x 7" focusing back and in excellent condition. It is amazing to me that these cameras and photographic images had been completely forgotten and finally rediscovered nearly 100 years later.
This Site Is © Copyrighted 1997 Brad W. Townsend