Summary

Watsons' Detective camera, manufactured by W. Watson & Sons, optical instrument manufacturers, 313 High Holborn, London, circa 1886.
The Watson Detective camera, first made in 1886, was one of the earliest hand held cameras available. It could take two sizes of dry plate glass negatives, quarter plate and 5 x 4 inch. The camera part described here was designed to fit - or rather to be concealed - within a portable leather box made to look like a despatch box [see HT 3808.1]. The box had a round opening or hole at one end behind which the camera lens was positioned. Alongside the opening was the shutter release button to take the photograph. Another square opening on the top of the box had provision for an eye piece which was directly above the view finder inside. The Detective camera was advertised as being perfectly efficient and unobtrusive.

Physical Description

Wood frame camera with leather bellows. There is a brass lens and brass clasps to secure in film plates. On the underside of the camera is a small square block of wood with a single screw protruding (for attachment to seconday object). Black leather cover box contains a quarter plate wooden camera and additional dark slides.

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