[LargeFormat] Grafmatic film holders, by Wray Optical?!

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Les Newcomer" <LNPhoto@twmi.rr.com>
To: "f32" <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2003 6:44 AM
Subject: [LargeFormat] Grafmatic film holders, by Wray
Optical?!


> I've recently come across an anomaly in my Graflex history
(something
> all to easy to do)
>
> It's a Graflex Grafmatic, identical in every way to the
Rochester
> version, except it says "Made in England under license by
Wray Optical
> Co" from Graflex Inc."   The plastic "front" of the drawer
seems to be
> made of bakelite rather than thermo-plastic as it has that
flakey look
> to it.
>
> Does anybody have any history on this?  There's a another
one on ebay
> right now (in better condition naturally) that has British
military
> markings (broad arrow and some numbers).  He also states
that the
> Stereo Graphic of the 50s was made by Wray also.
>
>
> Can anybody confirm this?
>
> Les
>
  In the 1950's Graflex was struggling with the need to
diversify its product line. I bought out Ciro-Flex and
arranged to distribute cameras made by other companies.
Among these was a 35mm camera made by Kowa in Japan. I don't
know who made the U.S. version of the Graflex Stereo 35. It
might have been Wray but I suspect Wray was licensed to make
it in England due to trade restrictions.
  I am not sure what part of the Grafmatic you call the
basket, do you mean the end piece? On mine they appear to
made of something like Bakelite.
  There is a good deal of information on Graflex products on
the Graflex Org site at:
http://www.graflex.org

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com