E & HT Anthony Co 8"x10'' BENSTER Adjustable Glass Plate Film Holder c1884. Early version, genuine antique Benster adjustable glass plate holder, made by Anthony (and later Scovill) of the USA, It features a tambour roller blind dark slide and ingenious geared internal mechanism for securely centering plates of all sizes, from as small as 4 x 5 up to full 8 x 10 inches. Measures 13 1/2" x 12 3/4" inches, with a metal snap plate on top and a pair of mounting holes on the bottom, it should fit the majority of classic 8 x 10 studio cameras produced by Anthony (and Scovill) from the 1880s into the beginning of the 20th century. Stamped "E & HT Anthony Co" and "PAT DEC 9 84" on the arm of the adjustable plate holder. 3/8" mounting holes on the bottom 2" from the edges. The leather tabs are fragile and should be replaced if you plan on using this piece. Roller slide partially works, but there are a couple spots where the roller slats have separated. The tracks should probably be cleaned and oiled to promote a smoother travel path. Geared track used to accept different sized plates works but should be cleaned/oiled for a smoother operation. Paint wear and loss. Very cool and unusual piece that will be a welcome addition to any collection. Please see photos for more details and to evaluate condition for yourself.
We have left this piece "as found" as we are not experienced to attempt to service and we wanted to let the new owner decide if and how to refurbish it.
This item will ship with insurance for the full purchase price - a portion of this expense has been added into the shipping estimate - the balance will paid by the seller.
General information:
The Geared Mechanical Design: Standard wet or dry plate holders of the 19th century used removable wooden "kits" to fit different size glass plates. The Benster Holder revolutionized this by incorporating an ingenious internal geared centering mechanism. By turning a dial, a photographer could center and lock any glass plate ranging from a small 4x5 up to a full 8x10 size inside a single frame
The Tambour Wood Slide: Instead of a hard, flat dark slide that had to be pulled completely out of the camera (risking light leaks), the Benster utilized a
flexible tambour "roller blind" wood slide. It was designed to smoothly roll back inside itself like a roll-top desk. These delicate slatted wooden blinds rarely survive intact without cracking, breaking, or losing their internal fabric backing
Please watch our store, as we will be adding more obscure large format photography pieces from this amazing estate in the near future.