Excelsior Wet Plate Camera
by
A. Semmendinger,
Ft. Lee, N.J.
c.1870
This finely crafted folding tailboard style camera made of walnut wood was manufactured by Augustus Semmendinger in Fort Lee, New Jersey. This unusually designed camera features a rear standard that protects the square cornered leather bellows when the camera is closed and the folding bed protects the ground glass from breakage during travel. At the base of the front standard is a small storage area that can be found behind the hinged door. This is a very convenient place for the large brass screws that are used for securing the fold down bed while the camera is set up for use as well as the brass screw unit used for focusing.
The fixed front standard contains a movable lens board that
has rise and fall capabilities that are adjusted by turning a brass screw
at the top middle of the front standard.
The tapered square cornered bellows are connected to the
back standard that has screw mechanism adjustments for tilt and swing.
Focusing is accomplished by viewing the upside down reversed image on the
ground glass and adjusting the screw focus mechanism.
The ground glass focusing screen is permanently attached to the
rear standard and swings out of the way after focusing so that the plate
holder can be inserted.
The lens cap is used as the shutter by removing it during the exposure and replacing after the correct amount of time had past.
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