THE MATHEIN SHUTTER

Wale & Mathein, Marksboro, New Jersey 1893 - 1896

Among the most beautiful shutters ever built, the Mathein exhibits pneumatic valves, fancy etchings and an offset lens configuration that's unmistakable. The Mathein Shutter's design was filed for on June 23, 1893 and patented by Franz J. Mathein of New Haven, Connecticut, under Patent No. 534,337 granted February 19, 1895:

Source: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

The patent was assigned to the Scovill & Adams Company, which based upon their ad engraving in Scovill's The American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1894, began placing the shutter on the Henry Clay Camera that year. With the publication being copyrighted the previous year, the Mathein was most likely in production by late 1893. Possibly, it may have been introduced even earlier in 1892, as at least two examples of the non-stereoscopic Henry Clay sliding-bed model (the earliest version of the camera from 1891/1892) has been seen equipped with the Mathein. Despite Franz Mathein having applied for the patent in mid-1893, he may have been manufacturing the shutter even earlier and certainly prior to the patent's issuance; such practices were commonplace among a number of photographic manufacturers in the 1890's.

Prior to the Mathein Shutter's appearance, the Henry Clay Camera was introduced in 1891, equipped with Scovill's Instantaneous Lens and Shutter:

Scovill's Instantaneous Lens and Shutter

Scovill's Instantaneous Lens and Shutter depicted on the Henry Clay Camera (From Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1892)

Scovill's Instantaneous Lens and Shutter depicted on the Henry Clay Camera (From Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1892, copyright 1891)

Scovill's Instantaneous Lens and Shutter would continue to be seen in catalogue engravings for the Henry Clay Camera through 1893, being offered with a manual release (referred to in advertisements as "Plain Shutter") or with a pneumatic release:

Scovill's Instantaneous Lens and Shutter depicted on the Henry Clay Camera (From Scovill & Adams' How to Make Photographs, October, 1893)

For 1894 and 1895, the Henry Clay's engravings reflected the new Mathein Shutter, still listing a "Plain Shutter" or pneumatic release option:

The Mathein Shutter depicted on the Henry Clay Camera (From Scovill's The American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1894)

Ad from Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1895

One Scovill & Adams catalogue believed to date 1895 shows the Henry Clay with a Mathein, billing it as a "Pneumatic Release Shutter", this designation carrying into 1896. In 1898, Bausch & Lomb's Unicum Shutter is depicted in advertisements for the Henry Clay Camera, by then a slightly scaled down version.

When trying to analyze factory ads to establish timelines, it should be noted that engravings were not always updated with the introduction of a new model or feature. And in the case of the Mathein Shutter, although Henry Clay ads from 1894 and 1895 offer the Mathein with the "Plain Shutter" or pneumatic release, I've yet to encounter a Mathein that wasn't equipped with a pneumatic release.

No advertisements have been found showing the Mathein Shutter, marketed as a standalone item. In many cases, manufacturers offered cameras equipped with a lens or shutter that was only available by purchasing the camera. Also hindering identification, is that most surviving examples of the Mathein are not marked with the Wale & Mathein name, or other information. At least three known examples in private collections bear the inscription "Wale & Mathein, Marksboro, N.J." along with their format size, focal length and serial number:

Mathein Shutter with the manufacturer's name, format, lens type (R.R. for Rapid Rectilinear), focal length and serial number

The Mathein Shutter is seen almost exclusively today, on earlier to mid-production models of American Optical Company's Henry Clay Camera. Later production Henry Clay Cameras were equipped with Bausch & Lomb's Iris Diaphragm or their Unicum Shutter. Henry Clay's Stereoscopic models were equipped with Prosch's Triplex Stereoscopic, Bausch & Lomb's Stereoscopic or the Unicum Triplicate.

The Mathein was available in several sizes, evidenced by larger ones found on the 5x7 Henry Clay Camera/Henry Clay Regular, and smaller ones seen on the Henry Clay, 2nd (1895-1897) and Henry Clay, Jr. (1895-1897) 4x5 cameras. Smaller size Matheins may be configured like the larger size (having only the release valve on front as depicted in the ad below for the Henry Clay, 2nd), or having both the retardant (or speed regulating) valve and the pneumatic release valve being located on the front of the casing as seen on this example of the Henry Clay, Jr:

Henry Clay, Jr. with smaller size Mathein Shutter and double-lens combination

The Henry Clay, Jr. shown above is equipped with a Mathein Shutter having both front and rear lens elements, reflected in ads as a "double combination lens". Ad engravings seen for the Henry Clay, 2nd depict the economy version of the Mathein having a single achromatic objective (one lens element at the rear), although the double combination lens was also offered. This single-lens 4x5 version of the Mathein Shutter, as depicted in the as below, is extremely rare:

From Scovill's How to Make Photographs and a Descriptive Catalogue of Photographic Materials Illustrated, 1895

Scovill's How to Make Photographs and a Descriptive Catalogue of Photographic Materials Illustrated, 1895

Irrespective of size, all the Mathein Shutters I've encountered are equipped with rotary (or wheel stop) apertures.

The Mathein continued to appear in Scovill's advertisements for the Henry Clay Camera/Henry Clay Regular through at least 1896. An 1897 ad for various Henry Clay models, listed a "Henry Clay, Second, with Double Combination Lens". This ad had no engraving and could have been referencing either the Mathein Shutter or Bausch & Lomb's Iris Diaphragm Shutter, as about 1896 Scovill & Adams was willing to mount the Bausch & Lomb Iris Diaphragm at no additional cost, in lieu of the standard Mathein.

The Mathein Shutter is rarely encountered today, and when seen, almost all are in the larger size. Along with every example of the Henry Clay that this shutter is famously found on, the Mathein is highly prized by collectors.

For more information on Henry Clay Cameras or Scovill's Instantaneous Lens and Shutter, look for them under the "Antique Cameras" and "Shutters" sections of this website.

5x7 Henry Clay Camera with Mathein Shutter

Ad from Scovill's American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1895