The tin camera obscura with a sliding lens tube seen on the right has a brown tortoise shell finish and cloth inserts on the door over the viewing glass. It is not marked but we have seen the same camera identified as "Ernst Plank" a well known German toy maker. Very old paper labels on the top and front with hand written numbers support the information given by an English dealer that it had once been in a European museum collection.

This type of instrument would seem more suited for decorating a drawing room than for serious use by an artist for drawing.

This 8" X 5" X3" tin camera shown below is japanned black with gold trim. It focuses by moving the lens in and out. Called "The Young Artist's Sketching Camera" it was given as a premium for selling the Youth's Companion magazine in the late 19th century. It was made by Perry Mason & Co., Boston. On the right is an ad from the magazine. Although the picture appears to be an earlier wood model the text describes it as "greatly improved, being made of tin, japanned, and ornamented in gilt." Wish we could have bought it for the $1.00 plus 35 cents postage!