The Photo Cravate camera was manufactured in circa 1890 by Edmund & Leon Bloch. A camera disguised or hidden behind a gentleman's necktie and the lens a tie pin. British patent, number 12,766, was filed on 14 August 1890 and the designed presented for the first time to the Société Française de Phtographie on 5 December 1890. The patent abridgement stated "Cameras; change-boxes.-- Relates to detective cameras and change-boxes which can be concealed behind, say, a scarf-tie, the lens occupying the position usually occupied by the pin. The apparatus consists of a shallow box A, in which is mounted, on pinions, an endless chain carrying frames, in which are placed the sensitive plates B. When the plates, which are actuated by a button on the pinion, arrive in position for exposure, they are held by a spring. Any form of instantaneous shutter may be used." The necktie camera was constructed of metal body with a unique mechanism for rotating six 25 x 25mm glass negatives into the camera view. Several colors and patterns of tie we available including blue and white-piped cloth, brown and white-piped cloth, black cloth, all with fastening clip and metal horseshoe retaining clip.

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2021-02-21 21:20:03