G. Gennert, New York, NY

Prize View Camera

Date Introduced:  ; Years Manufactured: c. 1893
Construction: front focus via rack and pinion (two gear tracks on top of base rails), double swing, reversible by removable back
Materials:  mahogany body, cherry base, machine finished brass hardware, black fabric bellows, French polish shellac finish.
Sizes Offered: 5x8 (photos), 6.5x8.5
Notes: similar to the Gennert Brighton Camera, but this camera is front focus only, whereas the Brighton is front and rear focus.   The hardware clips for the back are strikingly similar to Scovill's.  The finish on this camera is extremely well done.  The ground glass is held in place by wooden moldings, usually a sign of an early model or of an expensive model.  The tapering rear body of the camera is similar to the Blair Unknown #2.  The reasoning behind the folding front section of track is obscure, since it wouldn't decrease the height of the camera, nor would it allow the lens to remain in place during storage (two common reasons for folding the front section). A number of these have been offered on eBay, so they are not as rare as some of the other Gennert cameras.
References:
Descriptive Catalogue of Photographic Apparatus and Supplies, G. Gennert (New York, NY), c. 1893, p. 24-25

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