Muggins
Junk magnet
Our local Oxfam camera sale had in it yesterday a camera described as a Welta Westminster, approx date 1930s. The lens and shutter are certainly Welta, and the leatherette on the back is indubitably embossed with the word Westminster. I'll confess now that I didn't take too good a look as I already have too many cameras to use, and might have been tempted, so I can't really give any more details. However I find it odd that a German camera of that date has a British placename as a model name. I can't find anything on Google - any thoughts, anyone?
Adrian
Adrian
chippy
foo was here
Sounds very interesting Adrian, can you discribed basically what type of camera it was i.e 135 , 120 , 127film or folding plate camera..
Welta sold their cameras around the world to many distributers, this sounds like one of those and embossed with an english name that was perhaps more marketable in the UK than a camera with Gucki or something sounding foreign. for instance the Welta Perle was sold to Italy in 1935 was embossed with Ardita instead of Perle. i would think this a welta perle (because these, more than any other were renamed for different countries or distributers) for England called Westminster, hehe assuming they could fit the long word on
i think you should have my phone on speed dial for times like this when you see a Welta camera
...wish you had of bought it on my behalf and sent it on down to me
Muggins
Junk magnet
I'm passing that way tomorrow - if it's still there, I might just do that. Sell/trade depending on WHY? Postage might be a bit hairy, though!
It's a basic 6x9 folder by the looks (so bigger than a Perle) - pop-up viewfinder, I think it's got a dial-set shutter... that's about all I remember.
Will take a look in the morning...
Adrian
It's a basic 6x9 folder by the looks (so bigger than a Perle) - pop-up viewfinder, I think it's got a dial-set shutter... that's about all I remember.
Will take a look in the morning...
Adrian
chippy
foo was here
If you can manage to Adrian that will be great, I am a Welta fanatic LOL
I'm quite used to paying postage costs from the other side of the globe, theres no choice if you live all the way down here, if you PM your details i can send you the money for the camera and postage.
If its of interest to you or others, with that camera featured, perhaps i will make a page up showing all the different models as they developed through the years. the Perles were produced in a variety of formats. in the later years just prior to the war they were of the type you are familar with (like the one you had/have)6x4.5 and also 6x6 but in the early years they were made in 5x8, 6x9 and 6.5x11 , 6x9's are actually very common, 5x8 and 6.5x11 are somewhat more uncommon.
I'm quite used to paying postage costs from the other side of the globe, theres no choice if you live all the way down here, if you PM your details i can send you the money for the camera and postage.
If its of interest to you or others, with that camera featured, perhaps i will make a page up showing all the different models as they developed through the years. the Perles were produced in a variety of formats. in the later years just prior to the war they were of the type you are familar with (like the one you had/have)6x4.5 and also 6x6 but in the early years they were made in 5x8, 6x9 and 6.5x11 , 6x9's are actually very common, 5x8 and 6.5x11 are somewhat more uncommon.
Muggins
Junk magnet
Sorry, it had gone by the time I got there. Next time... Can't promise, though, as I've only ever seen two Weltas in the flesh.
I'm sore there's a whole bunch of people here who'd be interested in a Wela family tree - I know I would be!
Adrian
I'm sore there's a whole bunch of people here who'd be interested in a Wela family tree - I know I would be!
Adrian
chippy
foo was here
Bugger, what a disapointment, i was looking foward to it already LOL , it would have been nice to add an english flavour to the welta collection, i havnt seen a westminster before, not sure i even have details of one written anywhere (but for some reason it rings a bell) i would have to go through all my catalogues and books.
in terms of camera features or quality it is fairly dated and the late 1930's Weltas make better user cameras, but it would of been a nice addition even though it is just the name embossed that was different.
i have just got myself a new computer, and it has some basic web building tools on it so at some point after i learn how to do it, i will definitely consider making a page on some folding camera (probably just the welta, not sure how popular they are but it can serve as some sort of referance i suppose, there doesnt seem very much on the web about them) . sometimes i think just writing a book on them would be easier; thats a format that i have a better grasp on but no doubt it would cost me more money than just doing some sort of page
i dont mind giving credit to some friends that have helped me along the way, particularly to a young german friend (Andre' Halter) that has helped me, after i source them, he goes to quite some trouble to pay and post them to me (i am always amazed at how friendly and helpful people are, across the other side of the globe, more than anyone has a right to expect i feel, but things seem to work out and he is comming down to Oz for a holiday at some point, so now he has a place to stay--i always think why would a young person want to come to Adelaide for a holiday but he seems very intrigued by the place, go figure!) poor bugger doesnt even have an interest in cameras or photography save using a basic point and shoot digital shots to take pics of his girlfriend etc LOL. so he has no idea what to look for in the way of antique and vintage camera, but after i find find them he can converse with the owner in german better than me and then sends them to me.
anyways, thanks for going to the trouble to check it out Adrian, we may never know for sure what it was (although i have more Lit on these than probably anyone (not meaning to sound vain), and dare i say almost every camera model/variation, so perhaps there is something in amongst it somewhere and it will be revealed). however i havnt gotten many (in comparison) welta from the UK so there may be a whole new bunch of stuff over there. One thing always seems to hold true; that where there is one there is always another, then another, its just a matter of time. i have more difficulty getting these basic cheap consumer camera than i do getting the high end cameras. perhaps people cant be bothered listing them to overseas people because they dont think the small dollar/pound value is worth the trouble for something that can often look a wreck
so indeed if you can keep your eyes peeled for anything like this in the future and let me know i would be most grateful
cheers Andrew