General Information

Serial #

AB5E

Part Number

1

Total Parts

1

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

METAL & SYNTHETIC CONSTRUCTION. PT BOX IS CARDBOARD.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

25.0 cm

Width

15.0 cm

Height

8.0 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Photography

Category

Still camera parts

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Polaroid

Country

United States of America

State/Province

Massachusetts

City

Cambridge

Context

Country

United States of America

State/Province

New York

Period

THIS HOLDER PROBABLY USED C. 1980S +. NOT USED AFTER 1992.

Canada

PART OF A LARGE COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT USED BY YOUSUF KARSH, CANADA'S INTERNATIONALLY HONOURED PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER. FROM 1932 TO 1992, MR. KARSH OPERATED FROM HIS PRINCIPLE STUDIO IN OTTAWA. HE ALSO MAINTAINED STUDIOS IN NYC AND LONDON, ENGLAND. IN 1999 MR. KARSH WAS NAMED ONE OF THE 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE OF THE CENTURY. HIS PRINTS & NEGATIVES, AND PERSONAL PAPERS ARE IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES.

Function

USED TO HOLD POLAROID INSTANT PACK FILMS INSIDE A NON-POLAROID CAMERA, MUCH LIKE AN INTERCHANGEABLE CAMERA BACK.

Technical

SPECIALIZED FILMHOLDER, INSERTED INTO A CAMERA IN THE SAME WAY AS A SHEET FILM HOLDER. MR. KARSH USED THIS AND OTHER POLAROID BACKS WITH HIS STUDIO CAMERAS, TO TAKE TEST SHOTS PRIOR TO A PHOTO SESSION. PLACEMENT OF LIGHTS, BACKDROPS, ETC. WOULD BE ALTERED, IF NECESSARY, BASED ON RESULTS OF POLAROID PRINTS.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

" POLAROID [registered trademark symbol] 545 land film holder/ instructions/ to load/ 1. Move control arm to L (rollers open)./ 2. Hold packet as shown, with POLAROID facing you,/ and insert it halfway./ Shift grip to end of packet, push in until it stops./ [illustration]/ 3. Withdraw envelope (this uncovers negative). Check/ for pod as described in film instructions. Shoot./ 4. Reinsert envelope all the way./ STORE HOLDER WITH CONTROL ARM AT P./ TO PROCESS/ 1. Move control arm to P (rollers close)./ 2. Pull packet completely out of holder at medium/ speed. Pull straight, without stopping or slowing down./ 3. Wait for full time given in film instructions. Then/ remove film from envelope and separate positive/ from negative as described in film instructions./ TO REMOVE PACKET WITHOUT PROCESSING/ 1. Check that control arm is at L (rollers open)./ 2. Push in film release lever (R) and while holding it/ in withdraw film packet./ TO CLEAN ROLLERS/ 1. Move control arm to L (rollers open)./ 2. Open roller cover on other side of holder by pulling/ upward at marks [illustration] on ends./ 3. Detach hooks from ends of rollers. Lift top roller./ 4. Clean rollers with damp cloth. Never scrape them/ with metal or your fingernail./ 5. Replace top roller, engage hooks, snap cover closed. " printed on face of film holder./ SN (?) "AB5E" printed on decal applied to crank end of film holder./ "L", "P" & "R" positions indicated on casing./ PT box reads " Polaroid/ Land Film Holder/ Dos Adaptable Land/ Model/ Modèle/ 545/ For use with Polaroid/ 4x5 inch (9x12 cm)/ instant sheet films./ Pour plan-films/ instantanés Polaroid 9x12 cm. " on front; " Polaroid/ Land Film Holder/ Dos Adaptable Land " on end panels./ Box back reads " Polaroid/ Made in U.S.A. by Fabrique aux E.U./ par Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge,/ MA 02139, owner of the trademarks// propriétaire des marques de commerce/ Polaroid ® registered trademark/ marque déposée/ marca registrada./ PWX2007 8/83 "; " Polaroid " appears on both side panels of box.

Missing

NONE.

Finish

SMOOTH & PEBBLED BLACK FINISHES ON HOLDER; SOME SILVER METAL COMPONENT PARTS & FITTINGS; WHITE TEXT & GRAPHICS/ PT BOX IS BLACK, WITH WHITE AND GREY TEXT & GRAPHICS.

Decoration

N/A