MACKENSTEIN FRANCIA JUMELLE STEREO DELUXE CAMERA SHUTTER

Etablissements Mackenstein, Paris, France circa 1903

Ronald F. Giovannelli Collection

Shutter from a Mackenstein Francia Jumelle Stereo Deluxe Camera, circa 1903. Here's a link to the CollectiBlend site, featuring a photo of the camera:

https://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Mackenstein/Francia-Jumelle-Stereo-(deLuxe).html

Most Mackenstein jumelle-style cameras were characteristically finished in dark leather with black-finished shutters and brass highlighting to the lenses and shutter knobs. Mackenstein's Francia Jumelle Stereo Deluxe Camera, as the name implies, was a high-end version with a snakeskin covered body and a lacquered wood shutter having a decorative patterned face. It produced images on 9cm x 18cm plates, the largest jumelle-style format believed to have been offered by Mackenstein.

The Francia Jumelle Stereo Deluxe has come up at auction, but relatively few have surfaced over the years. Of Mackenstein's jumelle-style cameras, it's arguably their most beautiful and no doubt one of their most difficult models to find.