Information on Old Lens

I've been playing around with an old brass barrel lens purchased

recently from KEH. The lens is labeled "Plasmatic Extra Rapid

Portrait, George Angell, Detroit, Michigan, 124." It also indicates

the plate size covered (6.5 x 8.5) and has aperture markings of

4,8,16,32,64 (US system I presume). Although it is not indicated, the

focal length of the lens is about 8 to 9 inches.

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Any clues about the design of the lens or information about the

manufacturer? Is "Plasmatic" a likely variant of Plasmat, making the

lens a relative of the airspaced Dagor? Anyone out there from the

motor city who has heard of this company? (Anyone else suprised at the

ability of old lenses to make sharp contact prints!) Thanks for your

help.

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....................................

Dave,

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I think that "Plasmatic" here is a likely variant of plasmat. You

can take the lens apart (say for cleaning reason;-)) and examine its

construction. Any information from Prof. Woody Wooden's book?

George Angell is unlikely a factory's name, it's more likely the

owner's name. In late 1800s', there was an artist/photographer/art

dealer called George R. Angell in Detroit, Mich. He also was a board

member of Detroit Museum of Art. Could the lens be a gift to him?

The lenses commonly called 'plasmats' these days (more correctly:

double-gauss construction) didn't come into common use until the

1920s. If the lens is earlier, and with a portrait tag to it, I'd say

it's highly unlikely that it bears any resemblance to a modern Symmar,

Sironar, or Nikon-W. It's more likely to be of Petzval construction.

Symmetrical, but more like a wide aperture rapid-rectilinear than a

Dagor.<brMost early lenses with portrait in the name were made for

wide aperture use above all else, and the field curvature and edge

definition was usually very poor.