Scovill Mfg. Co.

Ne Plus Ultra Outfit (no letters)

 Date Introduced: - ; Years Manufactured: c.1889-1896
Construction: back focus via push-pull; single swing; reversing via two tripod mounts; removable or non-removable front, folding or non-folding platform
Materials: white wood body; cherry base; black fabric bellows; brass hardware, varnish finish
Sizes Offered: 4x5; 5x8; 6.5x8.6
Notes: the outfit came w/ 1 holder, 1 Taylor folding tripod, a Waterbury Achromatic lens w/ revolving diaphragm, and a wooden carrying case.   Catalogs state that the platforms were folding, as opposed to the Ne Plus Ultra (A-DDD).  Since they are advertised at the same time as the Favorite, yet had no engravings, it is difficult to speculate how they differ from the Favorite, except that they cost considerably less.   The illustrated camera has the same base construction as the example Ne Plus Ultra model A (which is so marked on its case), which is illustrated in the detail photograph.  This construction is rather strange, in which a finger-jointed box is constructed, slapped on top of a solid horizontal, then the front of the camera affixed to both.  Catalogs indicated that the front (lensboard) was removable, although this camera has no lensboard.
References:
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List, Scovill & Adams Co. Catalog, January 1889, p. 12
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List, Scovill & Adams Co. Catalog, January 1892, p. 3
How to Make Photographs and Descriptive Price List, Scovill & Adams Co. Catalog, 1896, p. 22

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