# Another British Houghton camera - The Duchess



## IanG (Dec 29, 2010)

Bought this just before returning from the UK.  I've now given it a fresh lick of French polish.  Just needs a couple of lens boards, one for a Ross 12" mounted on a Thornton Pickard shutter, the second for a 1913 CZJ f6.3 165mm Tessar in Compur dial-set shutter.  

I'll make a 5"x4" back and perhaps a 7"x5" as well for modern film holders.













I've already re-ground the focus screen since shooting these images which were before I started any restoration. The brass tripod ring is missing and the camera must have had a plate added later presumably with a modern tripod mount. So I'll need to fabricate something with a new tripod mount, possibly from aluminium.

This Houghton "Duchess" Half plate camera was made between 1906-1920, it  was part of a range that included "King", "Queen", "Empress", "Victo",  "Victo-Superb" and "Tropical Victo". They competed with Houghtons other  range of plate cameras sold under the Sanderson name.

Should be a great camera to use 

Ian


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## Mitica100 (Dec 29, 2010)

Absolutely beautiful!


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## compur (Dec 31, 2010)

A pretty camera.


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