This rare, red leatherette skinned, box camera dates to 1912 – 23 or so and was promoted as camera suitable for portraits, landscapes and sports photography. Manufactured by the English company Houghton-Butcher the camera is branded as being retailed by Hugh and G.K. Neill in Dunedin, a long-standing icon of retail photography equipment. The Duo-Ensign model name was used to indicate the camera was suitable for portraits and landscapes, the addition of the wire frame for sports photography was made in 1923. The camera used a rotary shutter and there were at least two lens set-ups -a straight meniscus lens and Rapid Rectilinear (I am not sure which is used in this camera). It has a 1 and B shutter option and although not indicated there is a metal pull tab which varies the aperture (I am told in 3 steps of approximately f5.6, f8 and f16) located above the shutter release. The film is todays 120 roll film and the camera shoots a 6cm x 9cm negative. The cardboard lens/shutter protector was a standard issue in the day for the three body options – black, red and brown leather-grain, and it is a testament to the previous owner that it has survived so well. There is obvious signs of wear and age related deterioration, so the choice would be to sit it on a shelf and allow nature to take its course, use it and revel in the experience until nature takes its course or lastly to perform a sensitive restoration that halts further deterioration and nature taking its course. I think any restoration required would be cosmetic and cleaning as the camera appears to be working properly.

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