[W&B] another loupe - Sinclair

[David Silver]

Hi Ralph,

Thanks for the look-up.  So 9-10 Charing Cross was only used in 1926?
Amazing.  How often do you get a basically generic camera accessory that
you can positively date to an exact year of origin?  Lucky me.  Was that a
change of factory or administrative offices (or the two combined)?  I have
the British makers book around here somewhere, but, like over 90% of my
collection and resources, it must be stored away because it's not shelved
in my computer room.  When I was using it initially, I didn't find it to
be a terribly useful text, plus I caught a number of mistakes.  But in the
absence of a more comprehensive or updated work, it will have to do.

Regarding GG viewers in general, does there appear to be a stylistic
evolution that we can use to generally date them (most especially those
that are not identified for maker), or are the designs more or less
consistent over time?  Of the several I can currently locate in my
collection, I was wondering if the heavier and/or more primitive examples
are necessarily earlier.

Hmmm, Milan "Shortcakes" Zahorcak.  Has a certain ring to it...

Best wishes,

David Silver--President
International Photographic Historical Organization
E-mail: silver at well.com  Telephone: (415) 681-4356
Webpage location: http://www.well.com/user/silver/


On Wed, 10 Jan 2007, Ralph & Bobbi London wrote:

> On Wednesday, January 10, 2007, at 08:52  PM, Milan Zahorcak wrote:
>
> > I'd guess early 1900s, but I know very little about the UK makers . . .
> > who's our UK/Sinclair expert?
> >
> > Eric, I think you have the Channing & Dunn book.  Does it list
> > addresses and
> > dates?
>
> Yes, it does -- both.  Quoting from the Channing and Dunn book, p. 116,
>
> SINCLAIR & Co. LTD, [JAMES A]
> 54 Haymarket, then 3 Whitehall, London SW
>
> Established in 1903, initially at Haymarket SW, then in 1926 moved to
> the Whitehall address (Note: When they first moved you will find this
> site named as 9 & 10 Charing Cross Road but, in 1926, it was renamed as
> 3 Whitehall, SW).
>
> Ralph
>
> >> A very nice piece, and quite distinctive compared to other GG
> >> viewers. Sinclair had style!  My example is marked slightly
> >> differently than yours. It has:
> >>
> >>  James A. Sinclair & Co., Ltd.
> >>  9-10 Charing Cross
> >>  London, S.W.1.
>
>