New Ideal Sibyl

1913

Newman & Guardia Ltd

London

England

Lens:

f4.5, 5 ¼", Taylor-Hobson Sibyl Aviar. Iris diaphragm to f45. Serial no. 106602 .

Shutter:

Spring powered rotary sector type with pneumatic regulation. Speeds 1/2 - 1/100, B, T.

Construction:

Leather covered metal body with leather bellows.

Format:

3 ¼" x 4 ¼" plates held in single metal slides.

Focusing:

To 4 feet, scale to 2 yards. Two focusing positions: slides (marked DS), film pack and boxes (marked B & FP).

Attributes:

Folding reflecting view-finder with manual rising front adjustment, 2 spirit levels on view-finder. Depth-of-field scale.

Movements:

Rising front, cross front.

Serial Number:

E358 .

Notes:

Address on camera: 17 & 18 Rathbone Place. London. W.

With:

Hooded focusing screen. 6 single metal slides (1 - 6). Film pack adapter marked N&G, London, W.
N&G Folding Lens Hood. Yellow filter (K11).
Hood for finder.
Tripod boards. Watson cable release and camera attachment.
Instructions. Fitted leather case with N&G label.

The New Ideal was the quarter-plate complement to the Baby and New Special Sibyls. It replaced the Ordinary, Special and Imperial models. A roll-film version using 118 film was introduced in the same year. Probably less than 650 were made.

Many standard lenses were available including Tessars until c.1914. Telephoto lenses were produced, these have a plate on the underside of the lens which rests on the shutter setting knob for support. In 1926 the camera cost £33.14.0.

Originally the finder on the plate model was either a reflecting or a direct-vision type, from c.1916 the direct-vision version was to special order only.

This example was made after 1922 when the Sibyl-Aviar was introduced.

References & Notes:

N&G Cameras. N&G Serial Numbers. Sibyl shutter. BP 8721/1912. BP 8722/1912. BJA 1914, pp. 88, 723. BJA 1917, p. 35. BJA 1920, p. 27. BJA 1921, p. 20. BJA 1923, p. 23.

Company Details:

Newman & Guardia

Early Photography