Object Description
Per Frank Goodyear 1/17/2014:
I have learned some new information about the camera from Todd Gustavson, the camera specialist at the George Eastman House. Here is what he writes:
That camera has the typical appearance of those made in England during the early 1880s. It is a dry plate camera intended for the amateur photographer, not the professional. And in this case, amateur refers to someone seriously interested in photography, but not as a profession. It is a bit unusual, most of the British tailboard cameras use the straight bellows, but with angled metal hardware connecting the front and back to the base, rather than the direct metal connection this camera has. Many of the English cameras are available on this site:
http://www.earlyphotography.co.uk/site/camera_a_chapter.html
As you can see there are a number of cameras similar to the Homer, but not exactly like that model.
I am not familiar w/ Mawson and Swan as a camera maker; they are usually listed as a maker/seller of dry plates and chemistry.
Colin Harding of the National Media Museum in England may be able to provide more information on the company. His contact info is:
Colin.Harding@NationalMediaMuseum.org.uk
