HENRY CLAY REGULAR
SPECIAL
ORDER ALUMINUM
American
Optical Company, Scovill & Adams,
Proprietors 1895 - 1897
This Henry Clay
Regular was special ordered with aluminum
fittings in an effort to reduce the camera's weight. Most of the lacquered brass hardware has been
replaced, with the exception of the thumb screw to secure the track extension,
the track rails, the bubble level and the nickel-plated brass bed hinge. Even
the lens standard posts are aluminum, although other standard Henry Clays have
been seen with aluminum, brass and steel posts.
This example is slightly larger than the standard Henry
Clay Regular to accommodate the use of a roll holder. These versions are easy to identify, having
two holes at the bottom to access the roll holder's controls. The camera's
dimensions are 8-3/8" in height, 8" in depth and 10-1/16" in
width, versus the typical standard model's dimensions being 8-3/8" in
height, 6-1/4" in depth and 9-5/8" in width. It should be noted that variations in body
dimensions and other features have been found among surviving Henry Clay's, and
I'll endeavor to provide this information for other examples featured on this
website.
The camera's "Regular"
name probably has no real significance, other than designating the camera in
its standard form as opposed to another model, or possibly changing the name
for marketing reasons. This example is identified as a Henry Clay Regular versus a Henry
Clay Camera, based upon:
- The presence of
a serial number which is known to have occurred on mid-production models at
least. From my experience, most Henry Clay Cameras made during the first three
years +/- will have no serial numbers.
Examples I'm aware of, estimated to have been built in 1894-1897, have
been seen with 3-digit numbers in the 6XX-8XX range.
- At least one
known example manufactured with aluminum fittings is offered in 1895/1896, the
ad making reference to it being lighter than their "regular" camera
- The name Henry Clay Regular or Henry Clay Regular
Camera can be found in advertisements beginning in 1896
- The Henry Clay's dimensions decreased by 1898, and
during its last two years of production (1898-1899), the camera was again
referred to as the Henry Clay Camera in advertising
This all points to this example being a Henry Clay
Regular and placing it within the 1895-1897 timeframe.
Henry Clays were available with aluminum fittings as
early as 1895, as an example appears on Scovill & Adams' bargain list in
their The American Annual of
Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1896. This issue is copyrighted 1895, having been prepared
then for the 1896 issue:
Ad from Scovill's
The American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1896 (Source: Google)
Based on known advertisements, aluminum fittings were
special orders, as were other features found on a few Henry Clay cameras
residing in private collections. A Henry
Clay Stereoscopic Special Order 5x8 and a Henry Clay Camera with an extended
body capable of carrying five plate holders, are a few examples of such special
order cameras.
Possibly, the Henry Clay was available with aluminum
fittings earlier than 1895, and probably through 1899 when production
ceased. To be honest, for as heavy a
camera as the Henry Clay was, the weight differential between the brass and
aluminum versions is negligible. Maybe
reality caught up with a great idea, since very few aluminum examples were ever
built.
The camera shown here is equipped with a period-correct Prosch Triplex Shutter in aluminum. Prosch offered the Triplex in aluminum as
early as 1894, but like this example of the Henry Clay Regular, few examples
were made and they are almost non-existent today. Despite some wear and missing body parts, the
camera is in reasonably nice condition.
Most Henry Clays found today suffer from broken or missing straps, worn
bellows and very poor or missing leather covering.
Surely, other aluminum examples were built and survive,
but this is the only one I've ever encountered.
All models of the Henry Clay are rare, and along with their other
specially ordered cameras, these aluminum versions can be considered a cut
above.
Ad from Scovill's
The American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1894