A DeVault Noble camera, ca. 1911.
NO SERIAL NUMBER

Price on Request

 
 


The camera has the look of a fine jewelry cabinet. It has many high quality expensive brass hinges. The Aluminum light trap strips around the lens board and crank side door are custom hand fit by a great craftsman. They look like appointments or trim but they have a very practical purpose as light blocking traps. The Esthetics and beauty of this camera make it wonderful 'Eye Candy'.
 

 
   

 

 
 


It has a unique movement that I can't seem to find in any other collection or in any of the reference books. The shutter seems to be around 165 degrees wide open. That would make short exposure times and help to stop any action blurring that would normally occur while shooting around 16 frames per second. In the film period when this camera was made cameramen had the option of shooting any frame rate they wanted as there was no synch sound to contend with. When sound came in about 15 years after this camera was manufactured it required all cameras to shoot at a synchronized frame rate that required an electric drive motor. We chose 24 frames per second while the Europeans chose 25 FPS.

 
   
 
   


The unexposed film is on the left side of the camera and supplies film through a double loop to the film aperture and then to the right side exposed film take up magazine. There are two sprocket drums in the camera that are next to each other and run on a common shaft. One feeds the film and the other takes up the film. This is the most unusual way of transporting film that I have ever seen. The camera has been scratch tested and would shoot film today.

 
   

 

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