THE DOWE DETECTIVE CAMERA
Lewis Dowe, San Francisco, California circa 1890
This early 4-1/4 x 6-1/2 detective
camera was built by Lewis Dowe of
San Francisco, California. Though its formal name is unknown, it's referred to
here as the Dowe Detective Camera,
based on construction features and the period it was introduced. Two collecting
references place its manufacture at about 1890, whereas the George Eastman
Museum dates it circa 1880. This example, equipped with an Eastman Dry Plate & Film Company Roll Holder suggests it dates
to no earlier than 1885. Most likely, its manufacture occurred sometime between
1885 and 1890.
Lewis Dowe
(1838-1919) was an established photographer (or "artist") prior to
the introduction of his camera. Craig's
Daguerreian Registry lists a "Dow, Lewis, Active as a daguerreian
and ambrotypist, DeKalb, Ill., 1858-1859.", which is believed to be this
Lewis Dowe, his last name incorrectly spelled. Supporting this, Sycamore,
Illinois is about 6 miles from DeKalb, Illinois, another one of Dowe's known
locations. No patents have yet been found for either Dowe or his camera.
Another reference to Dowe and a great
photo of "Dowe's Photograph Rooms, Sycamore, Illinois (1860's)" can
be found on Dr. Marcus Bunyan's website Art
Blart art and cultural memory archive https://artblart.com/tag/lewis-dowe-dowes-photograph-rooms-sycamore/
A biography of Lewis Dowe can be found
at the Sonoma County Library Special
Collections: Digital Collections: https://digital.sonomalibrary.org/about/photographers
Another
great website highlighting Dowe's photographic work, with mention of Lewis
Dowe's obituary published in The
Oregon Daily Journal, which states "He was reputed to be the first
man on the coast to manufacture dry plates and portable cameras".https://www.petalumapioneers.org/archive-by-photographer/2017/4/5/lewis-dowe
Mrs.
Louis Dowe's obituary (Martha Morse Dowe), October 14, 1914 in the True Republican, gives some insight
into her husband's career. His first name is misspelled in the obituary title:https://idnc.library.illinois.edu/?a=d&d=STR19141014.2.7&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN----------
Collecting
references have stated the Dowe's format to be 11 x 17cm (4-1/4 x 6-1/2). The
camera's internal frame opening just forward of where the focusing screen or
plate holder would sit, measures 4-1/2 x 6-3/16, and the Eastman Roll Holder's
image frame measures 3-13/16 x 6-3/8 (9.8 x 16.2cm).
Looking at some of the Dowe's features,
an internal sliding box was used instead of bellows:
Focusing was achieved via a lever at the
camera's working top, along with the shutter's controls. When the camera is
typically viewed, as in the gallery photo at top or when being carried in
disguise as a worker's utility box, the handle is located in the upper position.
However, in use the camera was rotated with the handle being located at the
bottom, and the controls now being positioned at the top (or on its side for
horizontal work) which is how the reflecting viewfinders could easily be used.
One of eleven (11) distance settings could be selected by moving the lever,
which was held in that position by a pin at the end of the pointer which
slipped into one of eleven (11) holes (the George Eastman Museum's example has
ten (10) distance settings/holes):
"L. Dowe, Maker" can
be found stamped into the distance scale and the shutter's linkage arm:
The camera has no other markings, serial
numbers or assembly numbers, other than "IV"
written in pencil within the rear compartment:
Opening the hinged front panel reveals a
guillotine-style shutter, with speeds selected by positioning the shutter's
tension spring within one of the six (6) available ratcheting slots (the George
Eastman Museum cites seven (7) slots in their example):
The Dowe seen in the reference book Michel Auer, The guide to antique cameras,
has only one viewfinder for vertical work. This example, having an angled
mirror box located at the lower left corner, is removable and rotatable for
either horizontal or vertical work:
A
unique pivoting cover closes over the lens opening and viewfinder
simultaneously:
The George Eastman Museum's example is
equipped with an R.D. Gray Periscopic Lens, whereas this Dowe has a Hermagis
Lens, the name being partially visible in the photo below. Using Waterhouse
stops, the lens has also been slotted to accomodate the shutter's placement
between the front and rear lens elements:
Of
the three other surviving cameras that references have been found for, from
what can be gleaned from photos, at least two don't appear to be roll holder
capable; the third in the newspaper article photo can't be confirmed as the
photo shows only the control panel and the front panel sides. The Dowe camera featured here, may be the only known example
configured for use with a roll holder; evidenced by the slot and winding key, which are not present on the other
known examples. Having dimensions at 9 inches in height, 6-1/16 inches in width
and 14-9/16 inches in length, this camera is much longer than these plate-use
only versions which appear to have a capacity of
storing at least two plate holders, or possibly one inserted within the plate holder
carrier and one stored.
Some
increase in the camera's dimensions were required to accommodate the roll
holder, and possibly, the camera may have been sized for the Hermagis lens it's equipped with. With the roll holder in
place, the rear compartment is just big enough to permit focusing over the
entire range of 11 settings. With the roll holder moved fully forward, enough
space remains at the rear to store the focusing screen and one plate holder.
It's unknown whether other formats were offered, or if the camera could be had
with leather covering as an option.
The rear opening's routed and unfinished
edge, indicates there was a now missing removable panel. However, the body has
no external or internal hardware, or mounting holes to indicate any hardware
was ever present. In all likelihood, the panel was simply held in place by
either a tab and swivel, or two swivels. The camera's rear opening measures
4-1/16 x 6-3/4, exclusive of the routed edge.
Although one example has been seen with
a tripod mount (see photo enlargement from the newspaper article, further down
this page), this was most likely added later. The placement of the mount on
what would have been the camera's top side in operation, doesn't seem
practical, as the camera would have been more difficult to operate in that
position. And, being intended as a
"hand camera", the Dowe wouldn't have had a factory installed
tripod mount anywhere on the camera.
This
Eastman Roll Holder's image frame measures 3-13/16 x 6-3/8 (9.8 x 16.2cm), suggesting
it to be the standard 4-1/4 x 6-1/2 size. The winding knobs were cut to allow
the roll holder to slide into the focusing screen/plate holder's carriage:
In an October 26, 1976 Los Angeles Times article
highlighting collectors Mike Kessler and George Gilbert, this camera is
identified as "the first hand-held camera, Schmidt detective camera"
(Schmid misspelled). Though no doubt discussed during that interview, the
Schmid's design was markedly different from the Dowe and this appears to have
been the staff writer's error in citing the camera's name or a mix up in the
photos:
As yet, no advertisements or other literature have been located for the
Dowe Detective. Aside from the example shown in the newspaper article above
(presumed to have belonged to either Mike Kessler or George Gilbert), the other
two Dowe cameras can be seen at the George Eastman Museum Technology Collection
at https://collections.eastman.org/objects/54305/dowe-box-plate-camera?ctx=55725ba4-e2cf-4a37-a6aa-31920ed6fef3&idx=0
(this example is also featured in 500
Cameras, 170 Years of Photographic Innovation by Todd Gustavson), and
in Michel Auer's book Michel Auer, The
guide to antique cameras. A few
more examples probably exist and will eventually surface.
As seen in the comparison below, the Dowe's size (at least this
particular roll holder-equipped camera) supports its believed production
period. Many box and self-casing cameras in the 1885 to early 1890's period
were larger and/or heavier in construction, which by the late 1880's, were
already trending towards smaller and lighter. This, together with the Dowe's
focusing lever not being as easy to use as the Blair Hawk-Eye's screw focus,
may have contributed in part to its early demise.
Size comparison
to Blair's first model Hawk-Eye of 1890
Of the Dowe cameras that are known, each appears different in some aspect
(plates only vs. roll holder, short body vs. long, different lenses, single viewfinder
vs. two, 11 distance settings vs. 10, 7 speed settings vs. 6). For the most
part, this suggests Dowe likely made modifications or improvements with each
camera he finished....and probably no two of his cameras will ever be seen
alike.
With not even a handful of survivors, and no advertising or references
found, the Dowe Detective was made in very limited numbers for probably
a very short time.....placing it among the rarest of all early American
detective cameras.