THE KNICKERBOCKER

E. & H.T. Anthony & Company, New York 1891-1897

Anthony's Knickerbocker Camera appears by August 22, 1891, mentioned in Anthony's Photographic Bulletin for that date as having been shown at an exhibition of photographs at the Buffalo Convention. The camera is somewhat identifiable by the cutout in the rear body frame, which permitted the lens standard to slide into it as the camera was folded. I say somewhat, as this same feature can also be found on Anthony's Bicycle Equipment, Clifton and Success cameras, all aimed at making them a little more compact:

The Knickerbocker was built in Anthony's Greenpoint Optical Company facility on Long Island, New York, as evidenced by other examples of the camera having been found with the Greenpoint Optical name. It's interesting in that neither of the cameras shown here, nor the Anthony Single Combination Lens one example is equipped with, have any Greenpoint Optical tags or stampings. The camera was offered in sizes 5x7, 5x8, 6-1/2 x 8-1/2 and 8x10.

The 5x8 example shown above is marked with an "E. & H.T. Anthony & Co., 591 Broadway, New York" brass tag. The camera's bed frame at the rear contains patents of November 11, 1884, May 18, 1886, March 27, 1888 and June 21, 1881:

This camera is equipped with a period-correct Wale & Mathein Shutter. The shutter's front casing is stamped "Wale & Mathein, Marksboro, N.J., 5 X 7 R.R., 9 In., 4000.", the "4000" being the shutter's serial number. The Mathein Shutter's design originated with Franz. J. Mathein under Patent No. 534,337 issued February 19, 1895. The Mathein is rather rare today, and when seen, many have no maker's name. Most examples of the Mathein are typically found on American Optical's Henry Clay Camera, and many will have the inscription "Scovill & Adams, Agent, H.C. 5x7" on the lens barrel. The "H.C." stands for Henry Clay. NOTE: this shutter's cocking lever is not original, having been replaced by a nail section:

This second 5x8 Knickerbocker example has the same Anthony name tag and patents of November 11, 1884, May 18, 1886, March 27, 1888 and June 21, 1881 as seen on the first example above:

It's equipped with a period-correct Anthony Single Combination Lens, marked "E. & H.T. Anthony & Co., Single.2 Achromatic". The ".2" signified the No. 2 size for 5x8 plates, as reflected in Anthony's catalogues:

Believed introduced in 1892, the camera no longer appears in factory catalogues by February, 1898. Today, along with just about every other Anthony camera, the Knickerbocker is not seen very often.

Knickerbocker 5x8 with Mathein Shutter

Knickerbocker 5x8 with Anthony Single Combination Lens