A chamfered box camera from the last years Naylor collection auction has been given a new lease of life with some new accessories. Daguerreotypist Ken Nelson aims to put this camera to work and has made a new ground-glass and plate holders;

“They’re constructed of Bainbridge Island cherrywood. (I helped drop and mill the tree, so the owner gave me 5 nice thick boards about 5 ft. long each. They’ve been seasoning for 4 years.) The slides are cannibalized from old 4×5 film holders, capped with cherry, and each has 5 brass dots on one side to indicate exposed/unexposed. The backs are clear acrylic with brass leaf springs that I made myself.”

It exhibits some traits that are not standard in American chamfered box cameras, but Ken believes it was made in the daguerreian era, and was used as a daguerreotype and wet-plate camera.

“The “non-standard” part of the camera to me are that curious sliding wooden insert with the two plate holder slots, and the application of the rosewood veneer. On other chamfered box cameras I’ve seen, the grain of the veneer on the chamfers is parallel to the grain on the body of the camera. On mine, the veneer on the chamfers is cross-grain to what is on the main body. Also, the hinges on the trap-doors are not beveled and corner-clipped like on most chamfered box examples. And, the bone knobs appear to be hand carved, not turned. The wooden insert and holder are curious too, the insert fits well, but has no engagement with the grooves in the interior of the camera.”