Oh, the basics of yesteryear. How we turn them into the treasures of today.
I have long been fascinated with vintage cameras. I love the interesting look and beautiful lines of these relics of another era. I’ve been searching for quite some time for a piece of vintage loveliness of my own. But as what usually happens with cool collectibles, they tend to be increasingly hard to find. Now I know that I would probably have luck scrolling through eBay, but I’d rather see and feel the camera in my hands before I buy it. I’m not an official collector, I just want a few items that really speak to me. Items that I love and have an emotional connection to, not just a clinical search for certain brands or models. That’s why my search has mainly been focused on antique malls and thrift stores.
So I was quite thrilled this week to find my first vintage camera. I was combing the aisles of a large antique mall and spied this vintage beauty from the other side of the booth sitting among some old dishware and a sparkly poodle figurine. The booth had many items stacked in piles on the floor in between me and my future camera. I had to navigate my way around the narrow aisle and wait patiently for the woman puttering in front of me. All of a sudden she stared and pointed directly at MY camera (I’m already envisioning it on my mantel at this point) and excitedly shouted to her man who was tooling around on another aisle to “Look At That!” I held my breath as visions of me launching myself over a box of paperweights and diving past the lady onto the camera danced around my head. The woman (who was oblivious to my inner turmoil) then reached out and grabbed a glass decanter that was sitting directly behind the camera. She then turned and shuffled off down the aisle to show her husband her newest treasure.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I quickly snatched the camera up and made a beeline for the cash register at the other end of the store. (All the while clutching it to my chest and muttering, “My precious…”)
It’s a Kodak No. 2 Kodamatic. (That is pretty much all I know about it.) I need to do a little more research as I would love to find out the year it was made.
I’m loving my new old camera. It’s currently sitting on the fireplace mantel looking all cool and retro. (Although, my youngest did mention that he thought it was a little creepy with the “camera eye” pointing directly at him while he was sitting on the sofa.)
So what about you? Any vintage loves, antique mall adventures (or creepy staring eyes?)
~ Miss Charming
Sharing at this fun party:
You started your “collection” with a great camera that looks like it’s in wonderful condition. Does the shutter work? As I have a collection of more than 120 antique and vintage cameras, I may be able to help you date your beauty. Although I have many folding cameras (the type yours is), I don’t have that particular model. I do, however, have a guide that can assist in dating yours. The Kodak No. 2 Kodamatic inscription around the lens is actually the lens type, not the name of the camera. Look below that lens into the bed of the inside of the cover. You should see a small metal label with words like “Kodak Vigilant” or “Kodak Junior” and a number behind it such as “Six 6″ or “Six 20.” Your camera looks like it could be a “Vigilant” model, but I’m not certain. If you can provide that information, I’ll look it up in my guide and let you know more about it. You can see a few of my cameras on the Collections tab on my blog. I’m a tad bit envious. Would love to add one like that to my collection!
Thanks so much for all the great info, Ann! I found out my camera is a Kodak Senior Six-16 that was made between 1937 and 1939.
This is a beautiful camera! Great find!
Sherry
Thanks, Sherry! I’m really enjoying it!
Love your “new” camera! I’m glad it worked out for you
I am in love with the shape of old typewriters. Like you, I only have one…but it makes me smile every time I see it.
Korrie@RedHenHome recently posted..The Workshop, part 3
Thanks, Korrie! I’m loving my new camera but I also have an old Underwood typewriter that my teenagers love to type on. Vintage items can be so much fun!