American Optical Co., Scovill Mfg. Co., props.

Compact View, Variation 1

Date Introduced: - ; Years Manufactured: c.1892-1898
Construction: front standard can attach at three points plus crank-out the bed to focus; single swing; reversing by removable back; three-piece lensboard; internal gears
Materials: mahogany body; mahogany base; red leather bellows; brass hardware
Sizes Offered: 5x7; 5x8; 6.5x8.5; 8x10
Notes: The compact is essentially an English compact style camera, in that it folds and focusing is through the bed, but it has a unique (and annoying when you place it anywhere but on a tripod) focusing knob position on the bottom of the camera instead of the more normal position on the side. It also has a cumbersome attachment of the front standard which involves screwing the brass posts into one of two sets of holes, depending on the focal length of the lens. The engraving shows the position for long focal length lenses, while the camera photos show the position for short focal length lenses.   Variation 2 has a wooden front standard instead of the metal rods of the above camera.
References:
Scovill Cat., 1892, p. 12
American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1893, p. 109
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List, Scovill & Adams Co. Catalog, 1896, p. 31
American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1897, p. lxi (bargain page)

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