THE STAR SHUTTER

Bausch & Lomb Optical Company, Rochester, New York 1893-1894

The Star Shutter was introduced in 1893, and is found on the Folding Premier and Folding Premo cameras appearing in Rochester Optical Company's Catalogue of Photographic Apparatus for that year.

It can be distinguished by the star design on the round Rochester Optical Company nameplate, its ratcheted tensioning wire to set the speed and the general absence of any pneumatic release or retardant valves. I say general because in 1894, the Carlton Twin Lens Camera was introduced and equipped with the Star Shutter having a pneumatic release.

The Star Shutter would seem to make its last appearance in Rochester Optical's catalogue for 1895, with the engraving for the Folding Premier depicted as being equipped with it. However, the description states that the Folding Premier's shutter is the same as that found on the Premo Camera, both the description and the engraving of which show it to have an Improved Star Shutter with a pneumatic release.

The Star Shutter is very scarce today and not seen often.

Two sizes of the Star Shutter showing the rotary aperture at rear