Philip Larkin’s Rolleiflex

[Rob MacKillop]

Can anyone tell me which model the great English poet used in this selfie? I’m a fan of his work, and would like to do a project with ‘his’ cameras and my own poems.

He also had a Purma Special - I’ve one on order from eBay. Before that he had an Ensign Carbine, which I’ll try to get hold of as well. His Purma and Ensign are part of his collection of manuscripts and artefacts at Hull History Centre.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

PS If anyone is interested, this book (published by Frances Lincoln) is wonderful:

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

The camera is a 3.5 Automat

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks. Is that the full name?

 

[KoNickon]

Thanks. Is that the full name?

Rolleiflex Automatic Type 1 (1937-39). No bayonet mount on the viewing lens, and no safety lock on the shutter release. Serial number below 805,000.

 

[Jonathan R]

PS If anyone is interested, this book (published by Frances Lincoln) is wonderful:

View attachment 4884361

Thanks for the recommendation. I can’t find a look inside anywhere online. Is it largely selfies, or is it more varied than that?

 

[Muggins]

The Purma Special is quite mad, and works better than you'd think - the press photographer James Jarche used one to take photos of, I think, commemorations at the Cenotaph in the 1930s. Presumably before he got a Leica, mind you. Enjoy using it!

 

[Valkir1987]

Nice to see this model Rolleiflex appear. I've got a similar model which my grandfather used. He was a Tailor, but also made photographs for a small local newspaper. Everything appears to be working as it should, although it is missing a piece of the small lever next to the release button. It needs a roll of film soon.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

There are a lot of pictures in the book, covering several decades. Quite a lot of people images, discussed in the text for context, but also land and cityscapes. Some ‘arty’ shots, some everyday personal reminders, and a few really beautiful and powerful photographs, for instance his mother taken shortly before her death. In his own comments in letters and elsewhere he does talk of ‘compositions’ rather than snapshots. But he was not a pro photographer. In short, there’s a variety of subject areas. The text uses his images to weave a biography around.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Nice to see this model Rolleiflex appear. I've got a similar model which my grandfather used. He was a Tailor, but also made photographs for a small local newspaper. Everything appears to be working as it should, although it is missing a piece of the small lever next to the release button. It needs a roll of film soon.

I don’t imagine you would want to sell it, Valkir, but if you ever do, please let me know. There are many Rolleis available online, but not this model. I might have to settle for something close.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

The Purma Special is quite mad, and works better than you'd think - the press photographer James Jarche used one to take photos of, I think, commemorations at the Cenotaph in the 1930s. Presumably before he got a Leica, mind you. Enjoy using it!

I’ve read a few blog posts about it, and it does seem quite unique…and interesting!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Rolleiflex Automatic Type 1 (1937-39). No bayonet mount on the viewing lens, and no safety lock on the shutter release. Serial number below 805,000.

So, not the 3.2 mentioned above by Chris?

 

[KoNickon]

So, not the 3.2 mentioned above by Chris?

Chris said a 3.5 Automat -- there were, according to the Evans book, four different versions of the 3.5 Automat (or Automatic), from the late '30s to the late '40s. But Larkin's Rollei is one of the prewar versions -- the lack of the bayonet on the viewing lens indicates it's one of the prewar versions, and the lack of a safety cover for the shutter release is unique to the Type 1. Valkir1937's Rollei above is a Type 2 -- it has the safety cover (or rather, it did but it broke off).

 

[Muggins]

I’ve read a few blog posts about it, and it does seem quite unique…and interesting!

Mine (I also have the much rarer Purma Speed)


I can't remember what the top speed on rbe Special is meant to be but this was 1/500th on the Plus - given that he is frozen in mid-air it can't be far short.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Mine (I also have the much rarer Purma Speed)


I can't remember what the top speed on rbe Special is meant to be but this was 1/500th on the Plus - given that he is frozen in mid-air it can't be far short.

Nice shot! Looking forward to receiving mine, but it was so cheap, I’m half prepared for it not working…we shall see.

 

[Muggins]

Nice shot! Looking forward to receiving mine, but it was so cheap, I’m half prepared for it not working…we shall see.

Do let us know how it is - I expect it will need a good clean, and with no B setting it's a bit of a pain to get at the back of the lens - and enjoy it!

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Nice to see this model Rolleiflex appear. I've got a similar model which my grandfather used. He was a Tailor, but also made photographs for a small local newspaper. Everything appears to be working as it should, although it is missing a piece of the small lever next to the release button. It needs a roll of film soon.

I have one of these, too. Pre-war with an uncoated lens! It was my first medium format camera. Bought it at a camera swap meet when I was 14 years old for $75.

 

[Dralowid]

To aid identification there is a big Rollei book that was being sold off cheap last year called:

The Classic Rollei A definitive guide by John Phillips

ISBN 978-1-90667-293-5

I have this book, which is over 300 pages and well produced but don't know enough about Rolleis to tell whether it is any good!

 

[nikomax]

To aid identification there is a big Rollei book that was being sold off cheap last year called:

The Classic Rollei A definitive guide by John Phillips

ISBN 978-1-90667-293-5

I have this book, which is over 300 pages and well produced but don't know enough about Rolleis to tell whether it is any good!

I have this book too, it seems pretty authoratative to me, though I guess some errors may have crept in. Certainly better than the Evans book mentioned above and the Focal Guides too.

 

[nikomax]

PS If anyone is interested, this book (published by Frances Lincoln) is wonderful:

View attachment 4884361

Richard Bradford is one of Larkin's biographers and a bit kinder to him than the Andrew Motion biography. Larkin was a talented photographer but is real interests were "elsewhere"!