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Graflex, Inc. (1945-)

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1945    

Biography

The company was founded as the Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company in New York City in 1887 by William F. Folmer and William E. Schwing as a metal working factory, manufacturing gas light fixtures, chandeliers, bicycles and eventually, cameras. In 1909, it was acquired by George Eastman, and the company was moved to 12 Caledonia Avenue (later renamed Clarissa Street), Rochester, NY in 1928, as the Folmer and Schwing Division of the Eastman Kodak Company. In 1926, Kodak was forced to divest itself of the division, which was spun off forming a new company, the Folmer Graflex Corporation, which changed its name to Graflex Inc. in 1946. In 1956, it became a Division of the General Instrument Precision Company, and moved its offices to Pittsford, NY. In 1968, the company was sold to the Singer Corporation.

Graflex was known for the quintessential press camera, the Speed Graphic which was manufactured for over 60 years, and was used by most of the photojournalists in the first half of the 20th century.

Found in 5 Collections and/or Records:

Century Graphic, 1949 - 1970

 Item
Identifier: 2008-027-1-22-6
Scope and Contents

Press camera; 6 x 8.5 cm negative; graflok back; plastic body; red bellows; body only. Serial number 524076. (McKeown, P. 368)

Dates: Majority of material found within 1949 - 1970

Pacemaker Crown Graphic, 1947 - 1973

 Item
Identifier: 2008-027-1-24-1
Scope and Contents

4 x 5" range finder camera; sheet film; negative size 10 x 13.5 cm; coupled range finder; interchangeable cams. Camera body only; serial number 946380.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1947 - 1973

Pacemaker Speed Graphic, 1947 - 1970

 Item
Identifier: 2008-027-1-9-6
Scope and Contents

View camera; sheet film; negative size 6 X 8.5 cm; focal-plane shutter; Kodak Ektar lens. Serial number 414401.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1947 - 1970

Pacemaker Speed Graphic, 1955 - 1968

 Item
Identifier: 2008-027-1-10-1
Scope and Contents

Press-style camera; 4 X 5" sheet film; negative size 10.5 X 13 cm; Graphic supermatix (x) shutter; Ektor 4.7/127mm lens; top mounted Graphic rangefinder with interchangeable cams. Serial number 911138.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1955 - 1968

Robert M. McCormack camera collection, Undated

 Collection
Identifier: 2008-027
Scope and Contents

Cameras and equipment belonging to Tulsa photographer Bob McCormack.

Dates: Undated