Value of large format Voigtlander-Cooke Lens?

no-X

Some time ago I got a (mainly brass) lens for large format camera. It has aperture of many (~20) blades f/7.7-f/71.

There are engraved circumscriptions:

"Cooke Linse, H. D. Taylor's Patent, D.R.P. 86757"

"Voigtländer & Sohn, Braunschweig"

"No. 5.3444"

"Triple Anastigmat III."

"F=280mm"

Does anybody know value or age of that thing? Smile

Spotmatic · Joined: 18 Aug 2008 Posts: 4045 Location: Netherlands

Well, DRP patent numbers can easily be researched. Based on that number I not only found its file date (November 19th, 1895) but also the original patent in PDF format. The web has changed a lot of things really. Very Happy

Just go here: http://depatisnet.dpma.de and click recherche (top left).

Then click "Einsteiger".

In the search form, in the first small field, enter "DE" (without double quotes). Then enter the DRP number in the field right of it. Then click the button "Recherche starten". You'll then be able to download the patent - a scan of the original! - in PDF format. Enjoy!

Wink

no-X · Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 7:02 pm Post subject:

Thank you, that's interesting Smile

Sevo · Expire: 2012-12-03

That is a early Cooke Triplet in Voigtländer license version, from 1898, the first year of its production. Historically interesting, and it should raise a higher price than later triplets at least among museums or systematic private collections. These rarely buy on ebay and the like, so you will probably have to scan through the results of Photographica auctions to develop a feeling for its value.