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  #11  
Old 20th August 2013, 12:02 AM
JamesK JamesK is offline
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Additional: I've just looked at my "new" 1937 Voightlander Bessa which came from E-bah today. On this camera, the focussing scale is marked around the edge / side of the focussing element, and not on the front. Accepting this arrangement on the Ensign, there would be enough room between the element and the stop peg for a focussing ring.
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  #12  
Old 20th August 2013, 06:42 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lostlabours View Post
It is possible the plated bit with the distance scale is missing as you suggest it would be quite large though.

Who made the Ensar's is an enigma, I have one that's definitely made ny Ross as it's actually a pre-production Xpres f3.8 - a 107mm f3.8 Ensar.

I do see Ensign parts cameras every so often, in fact I've bought one and two lenses seperately, they can be cheap - I paid £5 for a body and later £5 for a lens, but damaged non functional ones are just a pound or two so good for parts.

Ian
The plated part with the scale is large, but if, by some chance, the 3 tiny screws that hold it to the front cell edge were left off then over years the scale could have fallen off and been lost, which is what I imagine could have happened in this case, The ensars are certainly an enigma, I have read on various sites that they were made in house, and the late versions could possibly have been made by Ross, however, on the only camera I have with the ensar, the Ensign commando, they are capable performers.
Richard
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  #13  
Old 20th August 2013, 07:57 AM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is online now
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There's not a huge amount written about Houghtons but I came across a1 936 report on their share holdings and that was rather interesting.

The Astor family were large shareholders and Astor himself had been Aide de camp to the Viceroy of India for a time just before WWI. Houghtons Indian company were set up not long after. Other shareholders were from the families who'd owned companies that merged with Houghtons, Spratt, Butcher etc.

Astor himself was a hugely influential businessman of the era a Director ofHambros Bank, Phoenix Insurance, the GWR and owning the Times group of newspapers.

The group of companies was quite extensive and were owned by BRITISH PHOTOGRAPHIC INDUSTRIES LTD set up in 1915, this comprised, Houghtons, Butcher, Spratt, Austin Edwards, Elliot & sons, Houghton (Eastern Ltd), Photo supplies Limited, and a few others. Apart from camera and other equipment manufacture and films/papers they were involved in the film printing & distribution for British and US studios through Butchers Film Services, and had their own company Premier Film Printing Co Ltd.

Ian
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  #14  
Old 20th August 2013, 09:42 AM
JamesK JamesK is offline
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My c. 1939 Selfix 16-20 and my c. 1946 Selfix 420 both have Ensar lenses, although the focussing rings on both would be too wide to fit the 320 so, as I said, I'm guessing the 320 had the distance scale on the side and not the front.

The pictures from the 16-20 are a bit soft but pleasing in their own way. I've only taken one roll with the 420 which I cocked up due to having the camera in 6x9 format but using the 6x6 window for winding on: nice enough quality but unfortunately overlapped......

I've been looking for Ensign information on the internet, and while there is a site dedicated to them at

http://www.ensign.demon.co.uk/index.htm

this hasn't been updated since March 2009.
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  #15  
Old 20th August 2013, 09:50 AM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is online now
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I was in contact with the webmaster of that site however it has little useful information.

Like others here I have a few Houghton cameras from Quarter plate, Half Plate and Whole plate, 2 reflex (one re-badged as Dallmeyer) and a couple of Selfix a 420 & 820

The company suffered heavy losses in WWII when their headquarters and part of the manufacturing side were destroyed in the Blitz, presumably with most of the company records.

They were part of the British Photographic Research Association, along with Ilford, Johnsons etc.
Ian
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  #16  
Old 20th August 2013, 10:33 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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Originally Posted by Lostlabours View Post
Looks like the lens isn't the original, it should have a metali fininish according to the company's adverts as well as plenty of available images of the 320.

My guess is the cells have been changed.

Ian
I have done a bit more looking and found a picture of a selfix 320 on camera wiki, (Don't ask me the page or a link,I can.t find it), and I think you may be right, the picture shows the distance markings on the front on the front element, not the side, and as far as I can see it looks to be a completely different front element,
Richard
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  #17  
Old 20th August 2013, 10:54 AM
Lostlabours Lostlabours is online now
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It'll have been this page.

If James hasn't found one by the end of next month I'll look out at the next camera fair I go to in October, there's always boxes of scrap cameras.

Ian
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  #18  
Old 20th August 2013, 01:56 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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That's the one Ian, the front element on James camera doesn't look as if it is even from a Selfix, in fact, if it wasn't a 100mm then it could have been from my Commando, it looks to me as if it could be from an ensign where the whole lens moves to focus,from a newer camera, pre war, lens focal lengths were given in either Cm, the 320 lens should be given as a 10.5cm, or, as it is English, the imperial equilvent, and looking at James the focal length is given as 100mm, so it could be from a much later camera, Could it be that someone, trying to get to the shutter, badly damaged the front element, and replaced it with an ensar front element from a junker,?. That would explain why the front element has no lens stop, and simply unscrews all the way,and the lack of a focusing scale.
Richard
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  #19  
Old 20th August 2013, 11:15 PM
JamesK JamesK is offline
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Originally Posted by Lostlabours View Post
It'll have been this page.

If James hasn't found one by the end of next month I'll look out at the next camera fair I go to in October, there's always boxes of scrap cameras.

Ian
Ian, I'm very grateful for your offer: if you see 'owt that looks useful, please get it and I'll send you the money.

I keep meaning to go to a camera fair myself one day.

Although I usually send my cameras off for repair to fellow FADUite Sandeha Lynch, I think I might have a go at this one myself, just for the experience. In one respect, the camera probably doesn't merit restoring, but it is an Ensign and it didn't cost me anything.

(Sandeha, if you're reading this, expect a box of bits coming your way in a few months.......................)

In the case of this particular camera, the bellows are fine, despite having mould growing in them. Similarly, the shutter and lens, despite the absent ring, seem to be alright.

The main problem is with the body which has quite a lot of rust, but is basically sound. I've ordered some imitation leather from Camera Leathers, and what I'd like to do is to take it back to "bare metal" and re-do it all from there.

(Having had a couple of old British sports cars I know all about rust removal.................)

As I've already cleaned the inside, I might just run a roll of film through it first when I've rigged up some kind of focussing scale.

Once again, thanks for all your help and suggestions.
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