Kodak No.2 FPK 1904-07
Tomei Collection
The No. 2 Folding Pocket Kodak models were first introduced in April 1899 and were produced through April 1910. The No.2 Model C Folding Pocket Kodak produced between 1904 and 1907 has heavy red leather bellows, wooden lensboard, and thick black real leather covering. It produced 31/2 x 31/2 in. square images on No. 101 roll film. This example of Model C does not have the improved film spool introduced in 1907; It has the B&L Rapid Rectilinear lens and FPK Automatic shutter together helping to fix a production date.
This example was built between May 1904 and April 1907 based on Coe. The finder had been moved to the baseboard, it is fitted with the F.P.K Automatic shutter, and there is an automatic focus lock at 8, 20, and 100 feet also marked equivalent in metres. There were 35,743 of this particular variation produced during this period according to this author. Consequently, it is less common than some others but falls short of being "rare" in eBayese hyperbole.
The F.P.K. Automatic self-cocking shutter had three setting: T for "time" that required a second click of the release to close the shutter; B for "bulb" by which the shutter remained opened as long as the release was depressed; and I for "instantaneous" used for snap-shots and opened the shutter for 1/50th second exposure.
This camera has the Bausch & Lomb Rapid Recilinear lens which was one of the double achromats and among the finest to emerge from late 19th and early 20th century design. Originally designed by J.H. Dallmeyer in the 1860's, Bausch & Lomb had acquired rights and Kodak began equipping the FPK models beginning in about 1904. This lens operated between approximately f/4 through f/128. However, it suffered from field curvature which was to be solved by the Tessar lens design that emerged about 1904.