Photographic and Darkroom Equipment

An unusual post this time as it is just about unheard of for me to sell stuff via this blog, but having inherited the collection of photographic equipment of my uncle, my brother and I have been disposing of the following somewhat outdated and redundant items. Most, as will be seen though, were in excellent condition and most items were still boxed.

Most of these items are of curiosity value in their own right. All photographs can be clicked/tapped for a larger view.

All of these items have now been disposed of and are no longer available.

Courtney studio flash boxed set with Solarflash units 1000 and 1000S with stands, background stand and trough, Courtney M44 flash meter, Courtney 84cm silver brolly, silver circular honeycomb and snood. All contained in a single large carrying case.

A second Courtney studio flash boxed set with 2x Solarflash units 4000 with stands, background stand and trough, Courtney M44 flash meter, 2x Courtney gold/white reversible brolly.

Durst M601 Colour Enlarger. Baseboard, rack and pinion stand, enlarging head.

Durst M601 Colour Enlarger. Colour head insert with bulb, condensers and colour filtration system, Colour analyser, Nikon Nikkor 50mm enlarging lens and enlarger mains power pack.

Durst Modular 70 Professional Enlarger. Baseboard, rack and pinion stand, enlarging head and B/W insert.

Durst Modular 70 Power pack, Labometer, Colour Analyser, Vario B/W contrast analyser, RH Designs "The Analyser" enlarging meter and timer.

On the left, a couple of vintage timers / manual switches and right, a Philips System 2000 Digital Process Timer PDT 2015.

JOBO Colour Processor CPE2.

Print processing drum and chemical bottles for the above processor.

Micronyl water filter. c1960s

Darkroom safety lamps. The one on the left would have been bought with the Durst M601 enlarger and has an Ilford 902 Colour printing safety filter fitted. Next is a 1950s/60s lamp fitted with standard red filter for black and white printing. Finally a somewhat more sophisticated Wotan Duka 10 lamp with various settings and tilt head.

Various Barfen chemical storage bottles with concertina action to expel air from inside a partially full bottle. Measuring cylinders, thermometers and a chemical mixer.

Unexposed photographic 10x8 paper dispenser - sends out a single sheet at a time. Holds 100 sheets I suspect. The leaflet says 200 but shows a double unit.

Plastic developing trays for both 10x8 and 7x5 prints with tongs.

Two enamelled metal dishes 10x8 inches c1950s.

Photax dishwarmer holding up to 4x 10x8 dishes to keep chemicals at correct temperature.

High-speed print washer with inlet and outlet hoses.

Paterson print drying rack.

Paterson 35mm contact print frame. Prints entire film of photos on a sheet of 10x8 paper.

Contact printer for 6x6cm negatives.

Enlarging masking frame allowing up to 4x smaller prints to be made on a single sheet of 10x8 inch paper.

Paterson film developing tank.

Luminescent dial thermometer for darkroom use - glows slightly in the dark if held to a light first (not tested!).

Measuring cylinders and funnels. Paterson water filter with fittings to both rubber tap sleeve and bowl. Two sponges still in original unopened packaging (very reasonable rates...)

Slik 88 camera tripod with pan and tilt head. A highly-respected tripod over many years.

Several bits - a tripod projection screen, another camera tripod (in the stringed box), tripods and stands for background screens and photoflood lighting and ... er... a wire tailor's dummy in the tube with the blue label...

Studio Photoflood set comprising stands, two silver metal reflectors, lampholders to fit and photoflood bulbs (not tested). Age can be estimated from the packaging material!

1950 Brayhead HI LITE hand-held electronic flash unit with shoulder strap. Boxed and with original instructions. Seen below with flash head open.

Royal BC Duo Lux 1950s or early 1960s flashgun with reflector, battery pack and a number of flashbulbs. They contained magnesium wire in a blue glass bulb and when it went off they got so hot that the glass would melt and bubble. They are single use only!

Small quantity of unused PF1 and PF1B flashbulbs.

Confessions of a Studio Photographer

My very first job - as opposed to collecting football pools whilst still at college - was as a photographer, working in a small studio in a northern mill town.

I was 19. I'd been interested in photography for years, had bought all the relevant magazines on subscription and, as most teenagers would be, was easily self-persuaded that life as a professional photographer would be either hob-nobbing with the rich and famous, or an endless succession of naked or near-naked females parading in front of my lens, from which every now and then I would have to wipe the steam...

It was nothing like that. For a start, the studio owner, who was incredibly handsome and well coiffured, had a monopoly on the naked and near-naked females - and an incredible method for persuading even the reluctant ones that they should be... "Brought a change of clothes? Oh... well never mind we'll do some bare-shoulders shots..."

For seconds, as the junior of the establishment, my job was mainly being up to my elbows in foul-smelling chemicals and in either near or total pitch darkness, developing films and printing black and white prints by the hundred. Most of these were incredibly boring passport photos, interspersed with head and shoulders portraits of the town's new but large immigrant population, destined to be sent back to relatives overseas and once in a while something that made me perk up (sorry for the choice of words) and smile!

When the owner went out doing weddings or other work I was allowed into the studio to take passport photos or to make appointments for portraits. Only if it was a rush job was I allowed to take the photos myself. However, one Saturday afternoon an asian gentleman came in, adamant that he needed photos taken and delivered as soon as possible.

All went well until he started to strip off his clothes... "Er... what sort of photos did you have in mind?" I stammered, looking slightly aghast at the trouser belt being unbuckled.

It turned out he was a wrestler - it was very popular on Saturday afternoon TV at the time and he was wanting promotional photos. He had on his wrestling tunic underneath his clothes. I was very relieved at that.

Later that day when the owner came back and asked with a grin; "So did you get anyone's clothes off then?" I was able to look back at him, calmly and coolly, and nod sagely...

Photographing the Ladies

Ooh, an email flooded in from an old mate today, Billy, who asked, "Remember all those photos you used to take of gorgeous girls at the Photo Society?"

No, absolutely not, Bill... Ah that's going back a while. I was President of Blackpool & The Fylde Photographic Society in 1987 or 1988, not sure now! It sadly closed during the 1990s I think - hopefully nothing to do with the fact that I'd been a past president!

There were some real characters, and I particularly remember the studio nights where we had a model or two. I got press ganged into finding some of these but honestly folks, none of them were ever students at a college where I've worked! Important fact related to staying in employment! - although I have to admit it has been many years since I did any serious portraiture.

Staff of colleges were a different thing though! So there's a few colleagues in the photo above! Linda (top left) and Bridgette (bottom left) came from Preston College, Carolyn (top right) came from Blackpool College, Christine (top centre) was the daughter of a work colleague from my Cash & Carry days, Fiona (bottom right) was a fellow student when I was on a course and Donna (bottom centre) was a member of the photographic society.

There were a few members who turned into gibbering wrecks almost as soon as they were confronted by a pretty girl and a few girls who responded by immediately getting very nervous! There were some who almost every photo came out a cracker and others who I can't look at now without cringing! My lips are sealed! But of course the ones featured could never look bad! There's only Carolyn that I've seen in the recent past, I hope they are all as lovely! Ok Chuck? Not going to sue or anything...? :-)

Cheers Bill, good to hear from you - no you can't have larger copies...!