One main reason I feel this is a Patent War camera is that there is no serial number on the camera anywhere. A sign of there not being more than one of this model. None of the inside parts have production numbers on them. Another sign for my belief that this was not a production camera. The only place there is any identification is on the footage counter where it says "DeVault Noble". The camera holds 400 feet of film yet the footage counter only counts to 200 before starting over.

All new camera manufacturers had a patent problem with the mechanical design of the other camera manufacturers. Needing to find another mechanical way to transport film so as to not infringe on any existing patent became a real problem the later one got into the camera making business. I feel that this camera is from the Patent War period because of the manufacturing techniques used to make all the mechanical film transport parts. The mechanics seem to be exclusive machining techniques of the highest caliber and yet the exterior hinge hardware is from high end furniture cabinetry and is not exclusively manufactured for this camera. These two differences make for an interesting conflict in analyzing the process of the manufacture of this camera.

Exclusive and expensive manufacture of the film mechanism and beautiful but production brass cabinet hinges make this camera feel like it may be one of a kind.  I can only think of  one reason to have a camera made to order like this. A film company that wanted a camera to make movies and couldn't buy one on the open market because of the Patent Trust Companies would have to have a camera clandestinely made. This camera would be the logical outcome. Spend your money on the machining of the movement and have a cabinet maker make the wood box the movement would go in. The wood is of the highest quality so no expense was spared in the making of the camera body.