Arthur Chevalier Petzval Objektiv

interesting portrait brass lens in good condition with radial drive rack-and-pinion focus by the well known French optician and lens designer engraved: DOCTEUR ARTHUR CHEVALIER PALAIS ROYAL PARIS, approx. 42cm focal length, rear and front lens diameter c. 7.5cm, opening for water house stops, hood, total height: 21cm, shutter cap, in the original wooden box. The most common construction for Petzval lenses featured the so called tangent rack-and-pinion mechanism - lenses with a radial drive are quite rare since the mechanism was only utilized over a short period of time - from about 1850 to the mid 1870's.