Camera Collectors: evaluation on this Kodak Brownie etc

[petek]

So I was perusing the Restore today and came across a box of assorted camera stuff which I really have no interest in. Old Brownies are almost a dime a dozen and I've sold a couple when I had the flea market stall way back.
However this Brownie model 2-A was in the box and it had it's original packaging. The camera itself is mint. I don't think there's a scratch on it and there appears to be a film inside. I haven't opened it. It was the original box I really bought it for. It's in fair to good shape considering how old it is, still colorful etc, one end flap unfortuantley has old scotch tape and the other end flaps have come off but they're still there

So I'm having trouble dating it.. I'd say early 1900's from the pictures on the box. Anyone know? And is this one of these things where the box is worth more than the actual camera.

I paid $10 for the lot

 

[petek]

As well there was this Argus 75 and Argus 76 flash along with a couple of boxes of flash bulbs.. And a Polaroid Pronto and Ricoh AF 5 with case
From looking at Ebay,, none are really worth bothering to list. So many sitting there doing nothing

 

[coldspot]

If there is still film in it it might turn out if you send it for film developing. Also if any use 120 film you can still get it and have fun with them. You can respool 120 onto a 620 spool also.

I still use a box camera today.

 

[coldspot]

also if you want to send the film off I know to great places in the usa that can do it. Old black and white film is almost always still good being they way it was made.
There great for almost all film but super 8 black and white.
http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/

 

[Iowegian]

I think this site might not give you a good valuation.

It's quaint now, but my grandfather took a gazillion family pictures with a German Exacta Camera. And a huge flash gun that he had to plug into the wall socket.

It had Carl Zeiss optics, but it was completely manual. We have a lot of good family pictures, but geez, it was like being in a Sam Peckinpah still-life.

 

[rp2813]

Film

Whether the film is worth developing depends on where the camera has been stored for all these years.  Also, there should be a frame number in the window to indicate how much of the roll has been used.  If there's still film left, you might as well snap some pictures of your own.

 

Many years ago I had an ancient roll of 120 that had been in the same type of Brownie camera I had obtained, and I kept it in my car for a while before taking it in to be developed.  My guess was that exposure to heat apparently had an effect on the film and the photos came out with barely any contrast and it was difficult to figure out what any of the subjects were.

 

I don't see any references to Kodak on the box your camera came in.  That might make it worth more than the average Brownie.

 

[petek]

Might be interesting to take it in and have the film developed but then again who knows it could have been opened numerous times before I bought it..

It says on the box in big print; Eastman Brownie Camera No. 2A

and in smaller print underneath: Manufactured by the Kodak Co. Ltd. Toronto Canada

Whoever owned it all these years sure looked after it though.. like I said it's mint looking.. would hardly believe it's ever been out of the box.

 

[rp2813]

Ahh, OK.  Maybe in Canada the Eastman name remained prominent for a while.  My guess is that anything manufactured in Rochester had the Kodak brand name, or at the very least Eastman Kodak.

 

When I was in high school, a friend of mine picked up an even older pre-Brownie camera that took the larger 122 size film which was tough to find even back then.  I remember that camera's branding was Kodak, but with the additional verbiage "Successor to The Blair Camera Company."  Kodak bought Blair (established in 1879) in 1899.  Blair had purchased Boston Camera in 1890.  Boston manufactured the "Hawkeye" box camera and Blair took it over.  After acquiring Blair, Kodak used the "Hawkeye" model name for many decades afterward.

 

[arbilab]

I had this one:

 

[kenmore71]

I still have two of these...

 

[polkanut]

The Argus is a very well made camera.  My Grandma Baumann had that model, and I have it today.  It still takes great pics if you have the film.  I also have a few Sylvania flash bulbs.

 

[coldspot]

This is the film I like to use but there are many other types of 120 out there.

http://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-Fujicolor-Color-Negative-120mm/dp/B000I2JI80/ref=pd_sim_p_1

 

[gansky1]

I have never seen the box for the Brownie, very nice find all around, Pete. I have a handful of vintage cameras that I've picked up at sales. My favorites are the folding, accordion type. There were some very beautiful cameras from Kodak over the years. Of them all, I love my 1948 Polaroid Land Camera.

My grandparents had a vintage Kodak camera in their house when we were cleaning it out that still had film in it. I don't remember what model it was now, but we shot the remaining pictures on the film and took it in. All the pictures came out, a bit off-color but still OK.

 

[franksdad]

Nice camera Pete!

I have my parent's  Kodak Brownie box camera that looks just like yours.   I also have a huge Wolverine boot box full of pictures made over the years with that camera.  It really made good pictures.  Thanks for showing us the box!  I wish I had the box their camera came in.  Jim 

 

[petek]

From a collectors website seems like the Brownie 2A had a long run between 1907 and 1933. I'll make some calls and see about maybe having the film looked at. It's probably been opened all the while it was sitting in the store

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