Fontenelle archives 18 : FILAR, the very first Leitz enlarger.

[Pecole]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

As a way of introduction, I'll quote Dennis Laney in the 2d eition of his Collector's Guide, page 483 :

 

"Leitz pioneered 35 mm photography on the slogan "small negative - big pictute": The success of the Leica depended as much on the means to enlarge the negative as on the camera itself. Leitz had manufactured projectors for decades and they quickly provided a suitable instrument for miniature lantern slides; however, most Leica users would want prints and Leitz had no experience of designing enlargers."

 

Offered as soon as 1925, the FILAR was a very "coarse", fixed focus, 6x9 cm enlarger constructed of wood, and working with daylight. A hinged, light-tight door at one end acted as paper holder, and at the other end there was a glass plate and springs to hold the negative on a proper size frame, and two spools on the sides. Behind the glass plate, a 64 mm lens ensured a "quality" projection.

Now, try to figure out how easy it was to use : first, introducing the negative paper in some kind of "dark room", then going out to "expose" to the daylight (varying with the intensity or absence of sunlight), then coming back to the dark to open the thing and treat the paper!

Anyhow, we were very lucky to add an original and well preserved FILAR to the Fontenelle Collection, and we are happy to share some photos from our archives with you. We propose seven views : a general one; another similar, but with a Leica I giving the scale, then details of the top end with glass plate and spools for the film; one of the very simple spools on the side; the glass plate self (the only piece marked with the Leitz logo) with the film holding springs and the lens visible behind; the hinged bottom for holding the paper; and finally the fastening "clip" for this light-tight hinged bottom.

[alan mcfall]

Thanks for the photos, my FILAR is #483. alan

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[gyoung]

I remember similar devices being sold in the 50s and 60s in the UK, for postcard prints, made by Paterson or Gnome I think.

 

Gerry

[Mr.Prime]

I remember using a daylight enlarger a few decades ago, a friends father had one. A grey hammer metal finish box, small simople lens but great results. I’ve found zero information about them on the internet and would like to obtain more information for old times sake.

[gyoung]

On 7/1/2022 at 4:39 AM, Mr.Prime said:

I remember using a daylight enlarger a few decades ago, a friends father had one. A grey hammer metal finish box, small simople lens but great results. I’ve found zero information about them on the internet and would like to obtain more information for old times sake.

Google search gets you lots of pics and inf:

:johnson postcard enlarger

Gerry 

[Mr.Prime]

Yes! That’s the closest looking thing to what I remember. Thanks for the tip.

seems to me that I could make myself a copy, perhaps a wooden one like the Leica. Wonder what lens would be needed…

Edited July 4, 2022 by Mr.Prime