The Louis Gandolfi & Sons Collection of Cameras and Equipment,Including a 5 x 4in polished teak and lacquered brass precision field camera with inset brass binding, brown leather bellows, uncut lens panel and maker's plate Gandolfi Makers, London a Ross London. Homocentric 7in f/5.6 lens no.93990 on a teak lens panel, six teak double darkslides, in a 'Gandolfi' handmade fitted leather case, a matching teak and brass tripod.A Collection of the following: A Universal deluxe camera, 1/4-plate, leather covered. A Hand & Stand camera, 1/4-plate, polished mahogany. A Simplex camera, polished Honduras mahogany. A Universal de-luxe camera, 1/4 plated, polished Cuban mahogany. A stereoscopic box-form camera, Blackened mahogany. A Universal Square bellows camera, 5 x 4in polished mahogany. A Square Bellows copying camera, 1/2-plate, polished Cuban mahogany. A Tall-boy Universal camera, 1/2-plate, polished Cuban mahogany. A brass bound camera, 1/4-plate, polished Cuban mahogany, used by Jacqueline Bisset in High Season (1987). A Prison Fox 2 x profile and full face 'mug shots', polished mahogany. A camera, 5 x 4in polished mahogany. A studio camera, full-plate, blackened mahogany. A Spring-back camera, 5 x 4in polished mahogany. Two Tropical Cameras, 5 x 4in teak, one probably unique. A selected choice Indian Rosewood camera 5 x 4in, one of only five, made to order. Fifteen tripods. The original sign from Borland Road Workshop (signed in the corners by Fred and Arthur). Fred's treadle lathe with set of tools. Fred's work stool. Two Gandolfi work benches. Camera parts, patterns, accessories, partly assembled cameras, plate holder, adapters, etc.Together with a folder accompanying this lot details the history of this camera and includes memorabilia relating to the Gandolfi company. The folder comprises; original invoice for the camera dated 8 June 1978, Gandolfi budiness card, nine letters, invoices and correspondence from F.L. Gandolfi, copy patent of 29 August 1907 granted to Louis Gandolfi and cuttings recording the history of the Gandolfi company. A letter from Fred Gandolfi dated 30 June 1978 states that this camera was one of around twelve examples made with teak from 1926 stock. Footnotes:Provenance: Private treaty sale, Christie's South Kensington, The Gandolfi Collection of Cameras and Equipment, 1 February 1994.L. Gandolfi & Sons was founded in 1885 by a 21-year old Londoner, Louis Gandolfi, whose family background was part-Scottish and part-Italian. He began his apprenticeship to the cabinet-making trade at the age of 12, and in 1880 joined the pioneering camera makers Lejeune Perkins and Co, setting up on his own once he had mastered the basic skills. By 1913, the company had expanded to the point where it needed new premises, and moved south of the river to Peckham Rye, initially to Hall Road, and then, in 1928, to a former hat-pin factory at 2 Borland Road. As soon as they came of age, Louis brought his three sons - Thomas, Frederick and Arthur - into the business.From the late 1920's onward the company thrived and received fascinating orders. Particularly the supply of equipment to Lord Caernarvon in connection with his Tutankhamun expedition and a request for the development of a special lens to take interior shots of H.M. Queen Mary's Dolls House. In 1932 aged 68, Louis Gandolfi died, leaving the Company to his three sons. The company continued to make cameras, both the traditional mahogany and brass models and the new Variant models up to the late 2000; they are one of the oldest camera makers still in existence.This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: Ω TP YΩ VAT on imported items at the prevailing rate on Hammer Price and Buyer's Premium.TP Lots denoted with a 'TP' will be moved to an offsite storage location (Cadogan Tate, Auction House Services, 241 Acton Lane, London NW10 7NP, UK) and will only be available for collection from this location at the date stated in the catalogue. Please note transfer and storage charges will apply to any lots not collected after 14 calendar days from the auction date.Y Subject to CITES regulations when exporting items outside of the EU, see clause 13.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
