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Flat Folding Kodak, 1895-97 (page 4)
Eastman Kodak Company. Rochester, NY.

Dating through References and Advertisements Factory and non-factory advertisements appear from March 1895 to June 1897. A selection of advertisements and references are shown below.

  • 1895-04: Process Photogram. pg. 97-98. “New Flat-folding Kodak. March 14. Price £7 Eastman Photographic Materials Company, Limited.”

  • 1895-04-12: The British Journal of Photography. pg. 232-233. “The Eastman Company has lately introduced a "flat-folding Kodak."

  • 1895-04: The Practical Photographer. pg. 154. “The camera is recommended for cyclists ...”

  • 1895-05: Optical Magic Lantern Journal. pg. 77-78. The Flat Folding Kodak is mentioned in an article entitled Hand Cameras for Obtaining Slides for the Lantern. The article includes a comment that the camera might be useful for making lantern slides.

  • 1895-08: The Photographic News. pg. ii.

  • 1895-09-6: English Mechanic and World of Science: No. 1583 pg. 59.

  • 1895-12: Photography Annual Compendium for 1895. pg. 389

  • 1897-06: Kodak U.K. Catalogue. Pg. 23.

Post Production Availability in Australia Flat Folding Kodak advertisements in Australia appear in 1898 (Sydney Evening News) and 1899 (The Mudgee Guardian). Baker and Rouse, a company with deep ties to Kodak placed six advertisements from 1898 to February 1899.

 

The photographic side of Baker and Rouse (1887-1908) made their own photographic apparatus and imported equipment from other companies. Given their long history with Eastman, could they have been an outlet for unsold inventory? I contacted the Victoria Museums who have a lot of information about the Baker and Rouse to learn more.

Figure 9 Two Baker & Rouse Advertisements.jpg

Figure 9: Baker & Rouse Advertisements

In conclusion, rather than perceiving the Flat Folding Kodak as an obsolete design, I see the camera as a means that Kodak proved the practicality and simplicity of side-spool designs for its future.

 

Acknowledgements I want to thank collectors Jos Erdkamp, Ruud Hoff, Gerjo Quicken, David Purcell, and John Clark for providing detailed information and pictures of their cameras. Special thanks to Todd Gustavson (George Eastman Museum Technology Curator) for factory information.

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