Franklin Putnam, New York
Putnam Marvel, 1880s
 |
 |
| The Marvel was a lightweight, 5 x 8 in. tailboard-style field camera.
It was manufactured by either the American Optical Company or Scovill
Manufacturing for Franklin Putnam, and closely resembles, or perhaps is
a re-labeled version of, the Scovill 'Favorite' camera. The lens is a Scovill Waterbury with
wheel-set stops. There is no shutter; the lenscap (present) would serve
for the relatively slow exposure times associated with dry-plate
photography in the 1880s.
Circa 1885, Putnam published a "Descriptive circular of Home Photography and Portable Photographic Outfits." He described himself as a 'manufacturer and dealer in photographic apparatus and materials' and apparently was attempting to create a new generation of semi-professional photographers in his rags-to-riches footsteps. The camera itself is a wonderful example of the classic American tailboard style. The wood is quite lightweight and obviously mismatched by grain and color. The matching serial number is firmly stamped into camera body, lensboard, rear standard, and ground glass holder, and the top rear of the rail is clearly marked "F. Putnam, New York" and "Marvel". While the 5 x 8 size is fairly common, the 4 x 5 size is extremely rare. The circa 1885 circular mentioned above indicates that an 8 x 10 size was also available on special order. |