Tuesday 30 May 2017

Early Days in Circle 6 - 1938

I was pleased to trace an early report of our Circle in the Miniature Camera Magazine of December 1938 recording the circulation of the very first folio of prints. We are now on 584.  This report came from James Robertson of 5 Mill Road,  Irvine,  Ayrshire,  the first Secretary. The folio was given a fine launch by the inclusion of a one man show from C.C.B. Herbert ( Blogs passim) who was General Secretary of Leica Postal Portfolios at the time and who was collecting  5/- ( 25p) from prospective members.

Given this lead I have also found a report of the second circulation in the January 1939 edition with J.H.L.Adams as the guest showing International tennis stars in action. The second folio included members prints using a diversity of lenses. Two Telyt shots,two 35mm wide angles and one with the 28mm Hektor joined the more usual 50mm and 90mm work.  Members were still sought, as they are today, 78 years on,  but we have relaxed the requirement for home processing although it is interesting that all present members in 2017 process at home.

Finally in what is rather a domestic Blog I have an illustration of a circulating folio in 1938 which is obviously of a 4x3 inch Circle,this small size having been dropped from the present day range of options.


continued overleaf-
Please click on scan to improve legibility.

Monday 29 May 2017

The State of the nation- January 1946

Following the gloomy posts in the past when our Circle closed for 'the duration' comes a newly discovered report from Miniature Camera Magazine for January 1946 picking up the pieces that remain after six years of relative inactivity.  Interesting to note that just like B.B.C. TV,   the Circles resume precisely where they left off in 1939!  ( Actually a bit of Urban myth- the website http://www.teletronic.co.uk/bbcclosedown.htm will recall the correct version.)

Our Society was back in the swing of Saturday gatherings in London again open to all but a new trend of 'serious photography' in a London showing much evidence of  Wartime damage.  The full notice is reproduced below and it only remains for me to draw your attention,
again, to the meetings based on LCE, Bristol  which commenced in 2017  ( Yes, 71 years later!)  given publicity in a recent Blog here. Sorry about the rather poor original which forced me to reverse the scan.





Tuesday 23 May 2017

Unusual lens container-HELP

This post is little different from the usual themes of the Blog in that a response is sought from anyone who can shed light on the container illustrated in the following pictures.  This is of a Bakelite lens pot rather similar to recent Russian products.  The item is marked Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Germany and on the base 9cm Elmar.  However it has been tried with eleven examples of this lens and all are just too long to fit.  It may be that it was offered for a very early lens of non standard length and lacking a r/f ring but this is not available for testing.


Any help would be much appreciated, and in the event that 'Comment' does not work just email to paulblanchardlppo6@gmail.net. UPDATE July 2017: Another of these has appeared on Ebay at 99.99 or offers.
It is likely that this one shown ,and a 50mm version,may appear at SAS of Newbury in a future auction.