Scovill Book Camera

In addition to a wide spectrum of traditionally styled cameras, the Scovill & Adams Company of New York also produced one of the most remarkable detective cameras in photographic history. In 1892 Scovill & Adams advertised the camera as follows: 'The general appearance of this new camera is of three leather covered books encircled by a strap. Attached to this strap is a neat handle by which to carry the camera. No lady or gentleman need have any fear that this parcel will attract attention as a camera for it certainly looks much unlike a camera as anything can, and it is a very striking counterfeit of a parcel of three bona-fide books. The lens for this ingenious instrument is a rectilinear combination, of the wide-angle variety, with interchangeable stops and made expressly for this camera, and is superior to anything yet offered at its very low price. The construction of the shutter is after the leaf pattern, and is located between the lens glasses - a feature not used in ordinary hand cameras. This gives a wide range of angle and does away with the use of a stopper for the lens'. The offered 5x4inch dry plate camera with the serial number 25 has gilt-stamped titles ‘French. Latin. Shadows’ is in beautiful original condition and has never been restored. The end panel with focusing screen, black leather square-cut bellows, the back lacquered brass panel with engraved distance scale, shutter control ‘S.M.R.’ and aperture control F7. F40 and front-end section with waist-level finder, exposure controls, brass bound lens and removable cover. Of all the end of the turn of the century book-cameras the Scovill & Adams was said to be the most sophisticated and technically advanced. Today its unknown how many units have been produced, but since the highest serial number of the six documented examples is 33, the complete production was presumably very exclusive. This is a rare chance to buy one of these important and wonderful cameras in fantastic original condition