Hello everyone, just wanting an opinion from the experts. The 3 cell top on the left has been part of my Luke ANH config for years, with it's Folmer no patent bottom. My question involves the 3 cell top on the right. A few years back I was trying to make a TFA Graflex, and f'ed up the bottom. Royally. So I purchased a beautiful 3 cell from a generous forum member. Eventually I shipped the top from the first goof and the bottom from the newly acquired Graflex Inc 3 cell to Halliwax, who did an absolutely stunning job on the conversion. Then I got to studying the now spare 3 cell top. I noticed the smooth pins and the glass eye both looked like Folmers to me. Then I compared the finish and it seemed to match the top of my ANH Graflex. I know pins and eyes can be swapped, but the finish looks very close to me. As I said it came with an Inc bottom, so was I fortunate enough to have gotten an Inc with a Folmer top? If so the new one is in slightly better condition so may swap that on my ANH.
A Tale of Two Folmer Tops?
- Thread starter kyrack
- Start date
I had one like that. Inc bottom but the top had smooth pins and a Folmer eye. I guess it was either swapped by whatever photographer was using it, or it was manufactured in the transition period between Folmer Graflex/Graflex Inc and they had a mix of parts.
I've seen these tops on what I assume are late Folmer with patents and early Incs. Besides the smooth pins, They have yellow washer under the beertab (compare to the chrome one that is on the left top on your first picture) and the bunny ears are like this (can't see yours on the pictures) that are different both from the late Incs and the earlier Folmers (with no patent):
Similar threads
