BOSTON 4X5 BULL'S-EYE CAMERA

Boston Camera Manufacturing Company, Boston, Massachusetts 1893 - 1895

Boston's 4x5 Bull's-Eye was one of three models offered by the company, the others being the Bull's-Eye in 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 and the Bull's-Eye Improved "Special" in 3-1/2 x 3-1/2. Like the Bull's-Eye 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 model, Eastman Kodak would continue to offer the 4x5 Bull's-Eye after acquiring the Boston Camera Manufacturing Company in August, 1895, now calling it the No. 4 Bulls-Eye and dropping the apostrophe from the name. Boston's 4x5 Bull's-Eye makes its appearance as early as December, 1893, with an ad in The American Amateur Photographer referring to it as their "New 4x5 Bulls-Eye".

This particular example retains its Boston Camera Mfg. Co. paper label which has been partially overlaid with an Eastman Kodak label. This indicates the camera was probably built just prior to Eastman's acquisition:

This same camera with some repositioning of the viewfinders, would later be offered as the 4x5 Buckeye (or as the No. 2 Buckeye, 4x5, in E. & H.T. Anthony & Company ads) by the American Camera Manufacturing Company:

No. 2 Buckeye, films only model

It's unknown as to whether Boston's 4x5 Bull's-Eye was ever offered with a plate back option, similar to their Bull's-Eye Improved "Special" in 3-1/2 x 3-1/2. However, by 1900, Anthony who was marketing American Camera Manufacturing Company's Buckeye line was offering such a camera as the 4x5 Special Buckeye, with one holder for $16.00.

Boston's advertising is somewhat confusing, with their May, 1895 ad below stating the 4x5 as being "Improved" (Figure 1), but with no plate back option reflected, as in the Bull's-Eye Improved ("Special") in Figures 2 and 3:

From The American Amateur Photographer, Volume VII, No. 5 for May, 1895

And with their July, 1895 ad below, which looking at how the other models' capabilities are stated (Film Cartridge, Glass Plates or both), indicates that the 4x5 Bull's-Eye was only available for film cartridges:

From The American Amateur Photographer, Volume VII, No. 7 for July, 1895

Like any of Boston Camera Manufacturing's cameras, the 4x5 Bull's-Eye is almost never seen today.