GLENCO NO. 4 DUPLEX

Canadian Camera and Optical Company, Limited, Toronto, Canada circa 1902

Sold by the Canadian Camera and Optical Company, Limited of Toronto, Ontario, the Glenco No.4 Duplex is believed to have been manufactured for them by an American camera company. This is based on the body's construction and hardware which is similar to that seen on some American-made cameras and Canadian Camera and Optical's propensity in private-branding cameras by other makers during this period.

This "Combined Plate and Film Camera" concept was apparently covered by a singular patent design secured in Canada (April 23, 1901) for Patent No. 70,037 granted to Albert Paul Gill, Toronto, Canada and assigned to the Canadian Camera and Optical Company, Toronto, Canada, in Great Britain (Patent No. 14466) and in the United States (October 8, 1901) for Patent No. 684,221 also granted to Albert Paul Gill of Toronto, Canada, which was also assigned to the Canadian Camera and Optical Company, Limited:

Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

The Canadian Camera and Optical Company marketed cameras under the "Glenco" and "Glencoe" names. Several of their self-casing cameras were known to have been made by the Rochester Optical Company of Rochester, New York and have been seen equipped with shutters by the Wollensak Optical Company and the Gundlach Optical Company, also both of Rochester. Their "Glenco" trademark is seen on the No. 4 Duplex's shutter speed indicator:

The "Duplex" name is also found on Manhattan Optical Company's Wizard Duplex No. 1 and Wizard Duplex No. 2 cameras of 1901-1902, referring to their camera's same "combined plate and film camera" system wherein their roll film backs slide off permitting the use of a plate holder. The No. 4 Duplex differs from Manhattan Optical's Wizard Duplexes having square versus rounded corners, being larger in physical (and film) size and having different hardware:

Wizard Duplex No. 1

Wizard Duplex No. 2

It's interesting in that Albert Paul Gill's patent was assigned to the Canadian Camera and Optical Company. Yet, here was Manhattan Optical Company's Wizard Duplex utilizing the same basic design but with no acknowledgement of Gill's patent seen on their cameras. Gundlach Optical Company would acquire Manhattan Optical in 1902, and by 1903, the Wizard Duplex models appear to have been discontinued. For more information on the Wizard Duplex No. 1 and Wizard Duplex No. 2, look for them under the "Antique Cameras" section of this website.

Having been marketed in Canada, Glenco and Glencoe cameras are rarely encountered here in the United States. When they are found, self-casing cameras are the predominate style and at least one view camera with the Canadian Camera and Optical Company label has been seen. This No. 4 Duplex is the only example I'm aware of, but like other Glenco/Glencoe cameras, no doubt greater numbers exist north of our border.