Photographic Enlarger, ca. 1900

This great enlarger, made in the early 1900s, is a real collectors piece that has survived to our days in perfect working order. Designed to reproduce photographic images on paper from glass negatives, the enlarger preserver all its original components in quite good condition. It is made of solid beach wood and has black fabric bellows and screen; it also keeps the original lens designed to enlarge the images. This item comes from Great Britain, something that we can know from a small circular metal plate attached to the wooden sash door that protects the screen. This plate bears the embossed inscription BRITISH MADE WB SONS LTD.In order to use the enlarger, firs we have to put the glass negative into the window located in one of the articles ends. This window is part of a small plank connected with a similar piece (located in front of it) through a black fabric bellow. The emulsion-covered photographic paper must be placed in the screen, protected by a wooden sash door, and to get bigger or smaller images we just have to put the negative and lens set farther or nearer to the screen. When exposed to light, the emulsion will reproduce the image on the paper.The enlarger is well preserved though the finish that protects the wood shows slight signs of wear due to the trace of time. The plank designed to hold the negative bears the remains of an old sticker with a nice curved shape. Today, this sticker is nearly gone. The enlarger can be folded until becoming a rectangular case whose small size lets the user carry it comfortably. Its original leather handle and the metal plates that attach it to the wood are perfectly preserved.This vintage wooden enlarger will be the perfect piece to adorn a photo studio or to complete a good collection of antique devices.Measurements (in use): Width: 420 mm. Height: 350 mm.