Le Presto Camera" Herman Casler - E.B. Koopman spy camera, c - Lot 754

Le Presto Camera" Herman Casler - E.B. Koopman spy camera, circa 1895. As is. N.B. Jean-Marie PRADES: Designed by Herman Casler and manufactured in the USA by E.B. Koopman, founder of the Magic Introduction Co in NewYork. - Like the Demon, the Presto is closer to a toy than to serious photographic equipment. This camera is manufactured and marketed by two companies, "Magic Introduction Co" in NewYork and "Marion & Co" in London. It is made of oxidized brass and its dimensions are : L - 84 mm, l = 58 mm, h = 36 mm. It is designed to operate with film, i.e. twenty-five 28 x 28 mm frames, or in a special magazine containing four 32 x 32 mm plates. There are three external diaphragms, one large, one medium and one small, whose aperture values are not specified. Between two diaphragms, the large and medium, there is a fully closed position. This is particularly useful when cocking, as the shutter operates by gravity. The shutter is a speed and T exposure shutter, and is used as follows: for snapshots, turn the camera upside down, press the shutter release to set the shutter, turn the camera around again to return to the initial position, and release the shutter. For a T exposure, you arm the camera in the same way, tilt it to one side, then press the shutter release - the shutter will remain open. Visuals and texts "Autour d'une collection2 " Collection JMP Club Niépce Lumière, p. 162. Expert Isabelle Cazeils. Provenance: Collection Jean-Marie PRADES. Spy camera.