Blair Lucidograph

Blair Camera Company
Boston, Mass.
ca. 1885 - 1890

Ex-collection Frederic Hoch

Forty yeArs ago when I just began collecting cameras, I was always fascinated by the design of the Lucidograph. Never owned one until this year, and it’s been worth the wait!

Per McKeown’s Guide to Cameras, the Lucidograph name (roughly meaning “light writer” in Greek) first appears in 1885 advertisements. It’s a folding plate camera with a polished-mahogany wood body and cherry interior. The front door, which bears Blair’s imprint, hinges to the side, the bed drops, and the standard pulls out on a geared track. It has a tapered black leather bellows, and a brass 5” x 8” Aloe’s Special Landscape lens. A very unique design.