This is a well-made and designed reflex. Two baffles work in conjunction with the mirror. As the mirror is raised a baffle, which is hinged at the front of the camera below the focusing screen, intercepts the mirror, to which it is attached by a wire, this is to prevent light entering through the hood during exposure. When the mirror is in the lowered position a baffle is raised to meet the mirror preventing light reaching the plate when the shutter is tensioned. The mirror itself is attached by two clips to a full-width 'tray' which makes the connection with the baffles. The inner sides of the camera near the focal plane are finished in ribbed wood to prevent reflections. Lenses are fitted to aluminium cones which screw into the lens panel.

The camera was made in sizes from 2 ½" x 3 ½" to half-plate with several lens options. A tropical model in teak was available, otherwise the camera was made of mahogany. City Sale ceased advertising the camera around 1913. Earlier models (before 1909) used a different focal-plane shutter.

City Sale were not manufacturers, they re-badged cameras or commissioned them from wholesale manufacturers. This model is possibly connected with Walter Dockree & Co of London who sold a similar camera under the Celsus name and made the Britisher reflex for Staley, though these had a self-capping shutter as well as other differences.

Until around 1910 Dockree was working with Houghtons (patents were issued in their joint names). From c. 1910 he was trading under the name of Walter Dockree & Co. In 1915 he joined Staley, Shew & Co. who continued to sell the Britisher reflex. Staley, Shew traded for only a few years. Dockree then worked for, or collaborated with, Houghton-Butcher on their reflex cameras. Staley's 1916 BJA advertisement states that Dockree has joined the new company and that he was the manufacturer of the Britisher reflex.