NO. 2 ANSCO
& NO. 3 ANSCO
Anthony & Scovill Company, New York 1903-1905
Introduced by 1903, the No. 2 Ansco and No. 3 Ansco
box cameras were initially fitted with removable roll film magazines. The No. 2
produced pictures 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 and the No. 3, 4x5. The film magazines were constructed of wood,
having an aluminum faceplate and fittings.
Beautifully finished and shamefully hidden from view, they are no doubt
the cameras' most attractive feature.
Patents covering the roll film magazine's design (Patent
No. 698,173) and the camera's two-button pivotal leaf shutter (Patent No.
698,172) were both issued on April 22, 1902 to Carl A. Bornmann (1868-1957).
Both patents were assigned to E. & H.T. Anthony and Company of New York:
Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
A third patent covering the subsequent direct-load spool
design (Patent No. 731,537) was also issued on June 23, 1903 to Carl A.
Bornmann. This patent was assigned to the Anthony & Scovill Company of New
York:
Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
By 1906, Anthony & Scovill's box camera line had been
redesigned. Gone were the removable magazines, replaced by film spools capable
of being loaded directly into the camera.
The two-button shutter design continued through at least 1908-1909,
being replaced thereafter by a single release lever. Both the No.2 and No. 3 Anscos no longer
appear in Ansco's 1914-1915 catalog, with the Buster Brown line now dominating.
Carl Bornmann, an employee of Scovill & Adams,
followed the company's lineage, working for Anthony & Scovill, Ansco, Ansco
Photo Products and finally Agfa-Ansco. Over the course of his career, Bornmann
was granted at least 45 photographic patents.
From a design perspective, Bornmann did for his company what Frank
Brownell did for Eastman Kodak. Per a notation in Popular Photography Magazine, March, 1946, "Carl
Bornmann, veteran camera designer, recently received a special gift from the
company in recognition of his 58 years service". Working backwards, this places his beginning
with either the Scovill Manufacturing Company in 1888 or with Scovill &
Adams in 1889 during the company's transition.
Of the two models featured here, the No. 2 Ansco is
equipped with the earlier removable film magazine, while the No. 3 Ansco is a
later production model utilizing the typical direct-load roll film spool.
Today, these unique roll film magazine Anscos are seldom
encountered, and the No. 2 Ansco is seen less frequently than the No. 3 Ansco.
NO. 2 ANSCO
NO. 3 ANSCO
