On February 27, 1900 Terrence D. Wilkin and his son Edward P. of Syracuse, along with Charles F. Welsh of Buffalo New York, established the Wilkin-Welsh Camera Company at 305 N. State Street, Syracuse, New York with $10,000 in capital.

In 1901 the firm was recorded as being located at 305 N. State Street and employing 29 employees, which included 7 children under the age of 18. This was the first and most likely the only year, that they made a catalog of equipment.

The firm made a small line of quality cameras. Two folding cameras were named after the county in which they resided, Onondaga and the four box cameras after the city Syracuse. They also advertised the Niagara Jr. camera. Indicating that they either purchased the Niagara Camera Company or Charles Welsh was previously associated with it and brought with him rights to manufacture the successful Buffalo, N.Y. camera.

The company either failed to have significant market penetration to compete with the other already established Rochester companies or it ran into other unforseen circumstances, but it is believed that the company was dissolved in 1902. Due to this companies short existence, the Wilkin-Welsh camera's are scarce along with details about the company.


Ref:
1901 Annual Report of the factory inspector state of new york, page 589
1900 Vol 24 April: The St. Louis and Canadian photographer, page 169
2008 antiquewoodcameras.com by Rob Niederman
1901 Sun Pictures, Wilkin-Welsh Camera Co. Catalog



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# 1692
2012-06-29 19:58:54