Kodak Vest Pocket Special

Alison very kindly gave me her grandfather's old camera yesterday. And it's very old: apparently it's a Vest Pocket Kodak Special, which was made sometime between 1915 and 1926. At first it looks like a kind of point-and-shoot box:

But then it opens up to reveal a bellows contraption with the lens and shutter release:


It also has a window at the back where you can write notes about your settings onto the negative, using the enclosed stylus:

The manual has lots of useful advice, including the fact that it is "advisable to hold the breath at the instant of making the exposure."


The camera also came in the Petite model for "women who like to add a note of smartness to their picture taking", and the Art Deco Coquette which came with matching powder compact and lipstick. Oddly enough, Alison's grandfather didn't go for either of these, sticking to an elegant black leather version.

Anyway, it looks like the camera still works and as it's still possible to get the right sort of
film, I may yet be able to take authentic old photos...