THE SUCCESS COMPACT VIEW

    E. & H.T. Anthony & Company, New York            1873 - 1882  

 

 

 

Anthony's Success Compact View is seen as early as 1872 in Anthony's catalogues. Its name derived from the camera having a hinged-bed and a lens standard that was partially recessed into the camera's main frame when folded. With a folded depth of only 6 inches, the end result was a camera that was more compact than many other field cameras of the same format.

Based on its production timeline, the Success Compact View was a wet plate camera that transitioned into the dry plate era. Several variations of the camera are known. The particular style of the vertical swing supports seen on this 8x10 example, differs from the style seen on earlier production models as depicted in Anthony's catalogues. This, together with the absence of wet plate stains may suggest that this particular example was manufactured later in production:

 

 

The earliest version of the camera exhibits the English-style of construction, as seen in the engraving from Anthony's 1972 catalogue below. Nelson Wright's centrally swiveling rear frame design with a locking knob, Patent No. 52,239 of January 23, 1866, was incorporated on this first version and the subsequent version having a more curved swing support as seen in the Anthony 1875 catalogue engraving below.

 

                  Source:  U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

 

On later confirmed versions of the Success Compact, the vertical swing is secured by a sliding knob connected to the base of the rear frame:

 

                

Although not a part of Nelson Wright's patented design, the camera's lateral swing was adjusted by two thumb screws located beneath the rear frame's base support, one on each side. This feature is found on all surviving examples seen of the Success Compact View I've encountered, although per Anthony's 1875 catalogue, the camera could be had with a single swing, double swing or no swing at all.