Kodak Cartridge No. 5 Analogue camera

Offered: a very interesting, rare and intriguing Kodak No. 5 Cartridge, Model E, dating from around 1901–1902, featuring as its highlight a high-quality German Steinheil München Orthostigmat No. 3 optics.

What makes this camera particularly interesting is mainly the configuration. Instead of the more common standard lens, this camera is equipped with a Steinheil München Orthostigmat No. 3, with a focal length of about 18 cm and lens number 56809.

The camera also features a distinctive central shutter that is not recognizable as standard Kodak, equipped with a characteristic cross-shaped pull-lever. No brand name or origin marking is present on the shutter itself.

The camera deviates in several respects from the usual versions found for this model:
- Kodak No. 5 Cartridge Model E
- dating 1901–1902
- Steinheil München Orthostigmat No. 3
- lens number 56809
- focal length approx. 18 cm
- non-standard central shutter
- characteristic cross-shaped pull-lever on the shutter
- unmarked shutter front plate
- number 11439 on the base plate/tripod socket
- additionally assembly number 464
- original brass details and authentic antique patina

Research:
The camera has been the subject of historical research which has, among other things, looked at the production of the No. 5 Cartridge Kodak, the numbering, Steinheil optics, museum specimens and the possible origin of the shutter.

However, definitive proof that all components left the factory together originally is not currently available. The advertisement therefore consciously distinguishes between established features and historical interpretations.

Original condition:
The camera has been deliberately not polished, restored or cosmetically refurbished. The existing patina, wear and signs of aging are preserved. For a historical photographic object of this age, such signs are valuable because they provide information about its age and history. The camera is therefore offered in its authentic, unrestored state.

For the collector:
This is not an every-day Kodak camera. It is primarily the combination of the camera: Kodak No. 5 Model E + Steinheil München Orthostigmat No. 3 + non-standard German central shutter that makes this specimen interesting. For collectors of early Kodak cameras, it is a very attractive historical ‘museum-worthy’ addition to their collection.

A special early Kodak that represents not only a piece of photographic history but also carries an interesting historical puzzle. A handwritten user manual in Dutch is included. The camera comes in its original storage case, which is in poor condition (no photo available).

Given the age, care should be taken with signs of use, patina and potential age-related defects. Prospective buyers are therefore explicitly invited to view all photos carefully.