Royal Mail Stamp Camera

W. Butcher & Sons

London, England

Ca. 1907

The Royal Mail Stamp Camera was manufactured by W. Butcher & Sons in London from approximately 1906 to 1917. It was a small box-shaped plate camera constructed of polished mahogany. It was fitted with fifteen individual fixed-focus achromatic lenses and was capable of taking fifteen postage stamp sized photographs, hence the name of the camera. Originally, Butcher promoted the camera as being designed for making fifteen portraits or views simultaneously on quarter plate. This is contrary to the popular belief that Butcher's camera was only made for copying other photographs. Its guillotine shutter was controlled by a push button on top of the camera. The ground glass back assisted in focusing and could be removed to accommodate a film plate. Originally priced at £1 5s.