Classic vintage film cameras: Patent Etui – a gorgeous slimline folding camera
John Wade unfolds a duo of slimline beauties from the early 1900s. Showing that folding cameras is nothing new. The post Classic vintage film cameras: Patent Etui – a gorgeous slimline folding camera appeared first on Amateur Photographer .
The Patent Etui, a slim folding camera, originated from the French word étui, meaning a case for small objects. When adopted into German, it applied to compact camera designs. Launched in 1921 by Kamera-Werkstätten Guthe and Thorsch, a brand known as KW, this camera was advertised as a revolutionary product, being the thinnest and lightest of its time.
When folded, its body width measures a mere 3.5cm. Upon opening, a fold-down bed houses an unusual triangular bracing structure, holding the lens in place at infinity focus. Releasing a small catch and turning a wheel activates a hidden rack and pinion mechanism, allowing the lens to focus from 1.5m to approximately twice that distance.
Some models feature a double extension facility for even greater lens advance. Colored versions of the Patent Etui are highly sought after by collectors, while the original price at launch was £11 10s (£11.50) and the current guide price ranges between £80-120, although a recent auction fetched £350. This camera, available in black, grey, brown, red, and blue with matching bellows and covers, shoots 6.5x9cm images on plates, cut film, or 120 roll film.
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