Eastman House Not Interested

[Honu-Hugger]

I received my first rejection letter this morning:

We appreciate your offer to lend your Contax camera for display at the George Eastman House, but as we happily have 4 examples of the first Contax in the collection we will decline the offer and say "Thanks!"

Sincerely,

Todd Gustavson
Curator
Technology Collection
​

I have mixed feelings; both disappointment and relief. I have a few more options...however I may end up putting the first dent in it after all 🙂.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

The Brian Sweeney House of Fine Cameras would be glad to receive your Contax for display.

 

[Honu-Hugger]

Are you just trying to cheer me up? 🙂

 

[jan normandale]

Hi Honu,

could you let the forum know why you want the camera on display at Eastman house? I can't seem to see the events leading to your first post.

Jan

 

[dcsang]

Hi Honu,

could you let the forum know why you want the camera on display at Eastman house? I can't seem to see the events leading to your first post.

Jan

I'm with Jan.. geographically and post-wise 😀

I'd like to hear the story.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Honu-Hugger]

Hi Honu,

could you let the forum know why you want the camera on display at Eastman house? I can't seem to see the events leading to your first post.

Jan

Sorry, Jan. I found an early (1933) Contax that had a part improperly installed when it was first built and as a consequence was stored unused until I had it repaired by Henry Scherer last month. It looks like new and I am reluctant to use it (at least in the manner that I use most of my cameras 🙂), I thought a museum might be interested in it -- I'm still checking around.

 

[jan normandale]

Honu

interesting! Now I understand. Some institution will show interest just wait

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Oh Yeah! Just for that I am not giving them my Electric Tessina. PPPhhhfffttt.

Have you tried contacting Zeiss? Better yet, I would use it carefully in a fitted case, load it up, and use it for its intended purpose. Better late then never.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

The Gabriel Institute for Happy Photo Shooting is always looking forward to accept generous loans and grants for the advancement of photography 😀

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

BTW, I don't know anything about being a curator or its politics, but if I were one, I'd look after my institute and "happily" accept generous offers, and decline only after inspection. But that's just me. Or maybe they just have a "no dealing with warm bodies" policy?

 

[zeos 386sx]

Why not email Contax. They might want an early example.

 

[VinceC]

It seems probable that "first tier" museums would already have had 72 years to acquire a Contax I.

I can appreciate your desire to share a camera that has been preserved in a time-capsule, so to speak. On the other hand, it would also get lost in a larger museum collection. If no museum expresses interest, you might consider taking a few rolls of film to demonstrate its ability as the fine photographic instrument it is, then perhaps approaching a nearby university or photo school about creating a temporary display. You could provide some information about its history and first-ever features and perhaps even explain that it is the great-great-grandfather of the Nikon camera system in use today. In that kind of display, it might attract a local newspaper story or two and might even inspire some young person to delve a bit deeper into photography. That's not nearly as likely to happen if it's one of hundreds of cameras on display at one of the very few corporate museums around the world.

 

[cp_ste.croix]

I'm with Brian, use it! Or give it a great home where it will be loved, respected, and used towards its original purpose.

To that end, I volunteer the onerous task of keeping your camera safe whilst using it. I will send you one digital picture a month to show that it is still in good shape as well as one scanned image a month to show that it is being used. You can write letters to it, which I will read aloud to the camera as it sits in a place of prominence in my home. Heck, you can even visit it if you get up my way... 😀

 

[FrankS]

Again, sell it.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

We were cleaning out an old optics lab a couple of years ago and I found a Weston Master 715 meter in its Box, unused from the ~1940. It is accurate, and I use it with the Leica's. Some items made me cry, like the remnants of optics from the days when the scientists bought Leitz and Nikkor lenses to take out the individual elements for use on optics experiments.

 

[cp_ste.croix]

Again, sell it.

BOOOOO! HISSSSSS!*





















*Only because I won't be able to afford it 😀

 

[Honu-Hugger]

Again, sell it.

Funny thing is that's the only option not under consideration -- no reason to. After reading this I thought "what would it take for me to part with it? I couldn't come up with any realistic figure but I wouldn't take five seconds to consider turning down $5K for it -- it's worth more than that to me and I doubt that anyone would pay that -- let alone more. Looks like I'm stuck with it...
It has film in it now and I'll probably begin using it carefully -- I'll try not to leave it in any of the local saloons 😉.

 

[Sonnar Brian]

Don't sell it, Don't dent it. Use it carefully.

Frank, what has gotten into you???

 

[Nikon Bob]

That is a very good idea, using it carefully as nature intended.

BOB

 

[FrankS]

Don't sell it, Don't dent it. Use it carefully.

Frank, what has gotten into you???

Sometimes I get cynical. Some things are too much trouble to own. A valuable mint condition camera is one of them. A highly tuned Italian sports car and a supermodel wife are a couple more.