THE BABY HAWK-EYE

Blair Camera Company, Boston, Massachusetts 1896-1898

Introduced in 1896 and offered through at least 1898, The Baby Hawk-Eye was aimed at those not wanting to deal with the heft and complexity of larger plate (or roll film) cameras of the mid-1890's. The simplicity of its size and operation, and the convenience of daylight-loading roll film, gave it the ability to produce a respectable 2 x 2-1/2 image.

Equipped with a brilliant viewfinder and an exposure counter, the camera's dimensions at 2-1/2" x 3-1/4" x 4" were just slightly larger than those of Eastman's Pocket Kodak. Its capacity was 12 exposures on "Sunlight Film", marketed by Blair and manufactured expressly for Blair's Baby Hawk-Eye and Hawk-Eye, Jr. Cameras and for use in Blair's New Model Roll Holders.

Blair Baby Hawk-Eye Eastman Pocket Kodak

Competing with, and higher-priced than Eastman's Pocket Kodak, relatively few Baby Hawk-Eyes were sold. This is reflected in the very few examples that have surfaced.

The Baby Hawk-Eye is rarely seen, and this example is accompanied by its equally if not more rare original box.