Ian Grant
Well-Known Member
Last year I bought a couple of lenses. One is 1 17½£ Taylor, Taylor, & Hobson f8 Rapid Rectilinear lens that is marked 12"x10", great as I have a camera that format. I haggled on price and got a bargain. The seller said will you take this one for £30, I said no it's disgustingly dirty. I decided later OK and bought it.
![2lenses.jpg 2lenses.jpg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15227-835eba66747f5a025aec0ff8748ca2c8.jpg)
The lens boards are the same size indicating they were used with the same camera. When I got home I looked at the dirty lens, the one on the left. Then I saw the manufacturers name.
![1700510269900.jpeg 1700510269900.jpeg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15228-014aa7c321977fc2322c899f3e4ae66c.jpg)
Dallmeyer archives show it's a Fast Acting Portrait Petzval 2B, 8" f4, manufactured in early 1864. Optically it is excellent condition.
![1700510581643.jpeg 1700510581643.jpeg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15229-42d975dcdcac87ef60752a4d2f18b785.jpg)
It's not the usual swirly Petzval/
![1700510753818.jpeg 1700510753818.jpeg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15230-100c399c50c245fdb2e5d3ea699ea7d0.jpg)
![1700511215136.jpeg 1700511215136.jpeg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15231-515c538d330678c6ccb7efbb8347474a.jpg)
I have to use it on one of my 10x8 Agfa Ansco cameras, with a 5x4 reducing back, it would be OK for closer user with a 7x5 back. There are more images from this session, and I've used it again, but have yet to print the negatives, meanwhile a third much longer shoot with it is planned for the end of this month.
Ian
![2lenses.jpg 2lenses.jpg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15227-835eba66747f5a025aec0ff8748ca2c8.jpg)
The lens boards are the same size indicating they were used with the same camera. When I got home I looked at the dirty lens, the one on the left. Then I saw the manufacturers name.
![1700510269900.jpeg 1700510269900.jpeg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15228-014aa7c321977fc2322c899f3e4ae66c.jpg)
Dallmeyer archives show it's a Fast Acting Portrait Petzval 2B, 8" f4, manufactured in early 1864. Optically it is excellent condition.
![1700510581643.jpeg 1700510581643.jpeg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15229-42d975dcdcac87ef60752a4d2f18b785.jpg)
It's not the usual swirly Petzval/
![1700510753818.jpeg 1700510753818.jpeg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15230-100c399c50c245fdb2e5d3ea699ea7d0.jpg)
![1700511215136.jpeg 1700511215136.jpeg](https://realphotographersforum.com/data/attachments/15/15231-515c538d330678c6ccb7efbb8347474a.jpg)
I have to use it on one of my 10x8 Agfa Ansco cameras, with a 5x4 reducing back, it would be OK for closer user with a 7x5 back. There are more images from this session, and I've used it again, but have yet to print the negatives, meanwhile a third much longer shoot with it is planned for the end of this month.
Ian