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Folmer & Schwing 7x17 Banquet Ultra Large Format ULF Camera with Film Holder
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Folmer & Schwing 7x17 Banquet Ultra Large Format ULF Camera with Film Holder
Price: US $1009.99
There is a lot of information and pictures to convey for this rare, special camera so please take time to read everything before offerding/buying.Antique Folmer & Schwing Division Ultra Large Format ULF 7\"x17\" Banquet Camera, reconditioned as described below the photos, with new large bellows, all brass parts and knobs intact, plus a clean focusing ground glass and one 7x17 film holder. The film holder alone can cost several hundred dollars as you may know. Ilford makes 7x17 film for this camera. Mounted with a C. P. Goerz - Berlin / New York Lens, marked with aperture openings ranging from f/3.8 to f/256, additionally marked Goerz Double Anistagmat - Series III No. 7 Foc 14\". The glass is mostly clean for its age with some dust specks and minor imperfections; you may wish to do some upkeep and please don\'t expect a sparkling clean lens on a many decades old camera. The aperture changes are pretty smooth from 3.8 to 16 and then requires a bit more effort the rest of the way to 256. SEE PHOTOS FOR CONDITION. Minor scuffs on some wood surfaces. New bellows was done by Custom Bellows of England at a substantial cost. I crafted a new 2-piece leather handle in the form of the original, with a screw-riveted overlay attachment. Minor repair done to one of the ground glass housing pins. Loaded and unloaded the film holder OK. The lens end extends smoothly and locks in place OK with the 2nd knob. The entire bellows retracts into the frame and the front standard and the bottom track frame folds up into place and secures with the attached brass clip. I would not store it this way with the bellows so compressed but it will ship that way.The lens is a lens only, no shutter. I made a leather lens cap that fits a bit loosely so it could be used to uncover/cover the lens for making exposures.SEE RECONDITIONING STORY BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS. You are buying what is shown - the camera, lens cover, lens and lens board, with one film holder, the ground glass and frame, and it comes with a new main bellows. The small front bellows was OK. Shipping Notes: I will remove the ground glass from the frame and securely wrap in it\'s own box in the main box, and will do the same for the film holder and the lens/lens board for added safety, so you will have to reassemble the glass into the frame, a minor job. Ships by USPS Parcel Select to US Addresses. NO overseas shipping outside the US. Sales tax collected if sold in Florida. ALTERNATE SHIPPING (FedEx Ground) available if you want. Will be insured to full value. FINAL SALE so ask all questions before offerding.





















































Image of tree line and late day sky (upside down of course)

RECONDITIONING NOTES:

Here is the summary of my restoration on the Folmer & Schwing:


When I obtained this from a former pro photographer, it was in need of TLC. The large bellows was in tatters although the front small one was fine. One of the retaining pins for the ground glass mounting board was bent 90 degrees and the pin is hollow brass. The carrying strap was in two pieces. But the rest of it was very solid and complete – beautiful, actually.


Here’s what I did:


I had Custom Bellows in England make me a new large bellows and it cost substantially more than $300. First, I removed the old bellows and carefully removed the front and rear attachment frames. I strengthened the large rear frame at each corner because it was rather fragile. The front frame was fine. Custom Bellows returned a beautifully made bellows on the frames and I reattached carefully using the original screws. It came out great.


It was not possible to straighten the retaining pin for the focusing glass holder without breaking it so I was able to insert a steel pin into the base of the pin housing and the pin itself and secured it with Loctite. Seems to work just fine.


There was a small separation of a wood piece on the film holder and that was carefully reattached using wood glue and clamps. The repair is solid and undetectable.


I fashioned a new thick leather handle in the same shape (arrow ends) as the old but since the brackets that secure the handle are riveted securely in place through the wood frame, I did not want to try to remove them and re-rivet, so the handle, while true in shape to the original is 2-pieces with a 3” overlap and the overlap is secured firmly with 3 brass screw rivets. It holds the weight very well.

The aperture ring was extremely hard to turn on the lens, so I carefully lubricated it (sparingly) and worked it free and it now works smoothly with a bit of resistance from f/16 to f/256. The glass is relatively clean with some dust specks but no fungus, but it is about 90 years old so, it’s not “new” by any means.


I made a leather lens cover that can be used to uncover and cover the lens when shooting a picture. There is no shutter on the lens that’s on this camera.


Otherwise, other than cleaning the wood, it is as found, and I have left the brass fittings alone, with their original patina. Of course, you could make them shiny if you wanted but I left them as is because you can’t “unshine” them.


Please ask any questions prior to offerding. This was a labor of love, but it’s time for a new permanent home.





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