[LargeFormat] Auto Graflex RB Model Identification

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Clive Warren" <Clive.Warren@megacycle.co.uk>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2003 1:54 AM
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] Auto Graflex RB Model
Identification


> At 23:57 12/09/2003 -0400, LNphoto wrote:
>
> >
> The serial number is on the underside of the flip up
section that holds the
> lens cover and is 43705.
> Cheers,
>             Clive
>
  There is a partial list of serial numbers in my old
edition of _McKeown's Guide_ Perhaps the current edition has
more.
  The list begins at47,000 to 87,976 for the dates 1915 to
9/12/1918  F&S serial numbers were assigned ahead of
manufacture. The book date is the date of assignment. Actual
manufacturing dates may be as much as 18 months later.
  Two systems of serial numbering were used. One from the
begining of prduction until 1947 and another after that.
According to Roger Adams there is a lot of confusion for the
second series of numbers but I think the original series is
reasonably reliable. McKeown notes that while the earliest
page of the factory serial number book begins in 1915 it is
"safe to assume" that serial numbers extend back to 1905 and
are sequential. F&S was purchased by Eastman Kodak in 1905.
There is no data on pre-1905 serial numbers. F&S began
making their own cameras in 1897, previous to that they sold
cameras made by other manufacturers.
    Although Graflex-made cameras were popular and are found
in considrable quantity they were never really mass
produced. According to Roger Adams there are continual small
changes in all the models over their manufacturing life.

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