Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

GRAFLEX - SPEED GRAPHIC

Date Range From

1950

Date Range To

1960

Materials

PLASTIC, METAL, GLASS

No. Pieces

8

Height

11.5

Length

22

Width

21

Description

A. CAMERA: 22CM LONG X 21CM WIDE X 11.5CM DEEP. BLACK, SIMULATED LEATHER OUTER SHELL WITH CHROME SUPPORTS AND MECHANISMS FOR OPENING AND OPERATING CAMERA; VIEWFINDER AT THE TOP OF CAMERA. CAMERA HAS BELTED STRAP ON LEFT SIDE AND GRAFLEX KALART SYNCHRONIZED RANGE FINDER ATTACHED TO TOP AND RIGHT SIDE WITH PLATE AND INSCRIPTION READING: “FOCUSPOT, MADE IN U.S.A. BY KALART, PATS. #2337463, 2388714, 2397160.” RANGEFINDER HAS WHITE TEXT RUNNING DOWN BODY ON FRONT: “KALART SYNCHRONIZED RANGE FINDER.” BRACE FOR RANGE FINDER HAS A WHITE LABEL PRINTED WITH BLUE INK: “08209.” CAMERA OPENS OUT FRONT; CAMERA IS MISSING LENS. FRONT HAS “GRAFLEX” INSCRIBED ON SILVER PLATE AT TOP EDGE. SERIAL NO. 876128. CAMERA IS WORN ON SIDES AND BACK, AND OUTER SHELL FINISHING IS FLAKING ALONG BOTTOM EDGE. OVERALL GOOD CONDITION. BOX IS HEAVILY WORN AND STAINED, AND COLOUR IS RUBBED AND FADED FROM LID AND BOTTOM. OVERALL CONDITION FAIR-POOR. B. BOX: INCLUDES LID (22.5CM LONG X 23.6CM WIDE X 9.5CM DEEP), BOTTOM (22.3CM LONG X 23.4CM WIDE X 13.3CM DEEP), AND THREE INSERTS FOR PACKAGING ALL MADE FROM CARDBOARD. TOP IS BLUE WITH PRINTED LABEL: “SPEED GRAPHIC “45” GRAFLEX, MANUFACTURED BY GRAFLEX INC, ROCHESTER 8, NEW YORK, U.S.A.” AND STAMPED ON BOX “162 OPTAR SYNC” AND WRITTEN IN PENCIL “SE 97”. LID HAS TWO TAPED WHITE LABELS WITH BLUE INK ATTACHED READING: “3270” AND “08209”. LID HAS RIGHT SIDE DETACHED AT CORNER. BOTTOM OF BOX IS GOLD. NARROW INSERTS ARE COLOURED PEACH AND ARE TORN AND PUNCTURED. WIDER INSERT (21.4CM LONG X 22.5CM WIDE) HAS TRIANGLE CUT-OUTS FROM LEFT AND RIGHT EDGES, AND TOP IS PRINTED WITH THE TEXT “REMOVE THIS CARD, FILM HOLDER, UNDERNEATH” IN BLANK INK. WIDER INSERT HAS HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTION IN RED INK: “VERN DECOUX”. C. SLIDE: 18.6CM LONG X 12.1CM WIDE X 1.3CM DEEP. BLACK PLASTIC WITH TWO SILVER HANDLES TO PULL SLIDE OUT OF HOLDER. SLIDE HAS TWO WHITE SQUARES ALONG TOP EDGE. “RITEWAY 12,” “4 X 5 GRAPHIC FILM HOLDER, NO 1284, U.S. PAT. 2450841. 2497270. 2552905. AND PATS. PEND., MADE IN U.S.A. BY GRAFLEX INC. ROCHESTER, N.Y.” SLIDE FACE HAS LIGHT GRIME, FINGERPRINTS AND DIRT AND MINOR SURFACE SCRATCHES. D. SLIDE: 18.6CM LONG X 12.1CM WIDE X 1.3CM DEEP. BLACK PLASTIC WITH TWO SILVER HANDLES TO PULL SLIDE OUT OF HOLDER. SLIDE HAS TWO WHITE SQUARES ALONG TOP EDGE. “4 X 5 GRAPHIC FILM HOLDER, NO 1284, U.S. PAT. 2450841. 2497270. 2552905. AND PATS. PEND., MADE IN U.S.A. BY GRAFLEX INC. ROCHESTER, N.Y.” BOTTOM CORNERS ARE WORN WITH COVERING PEELING. SLIDE FACE HAS MINOR SURFACE SCRATCHES AND LIGHT DUST. E. SLIDE: 18.6CM LONG X 12.1CM WIDE X 1.3CM DEEP. BLACK PLASTIC WITH TWO SILVER HANDLES TO PULL SLIDE OUT OF HOLDER. SLIDE HAS TWO WHITE SQUARES ALONG TOP EDGE AND RED-ORANGE DOT OVER TEXT: “4 X 5 PRESS FILM HOLDER, NO 1284, U.S. PAT. 2450841. 2497270. AND PATS. PEND., MADE IN U.S.A. BY GRAFLEX INC. ROCHESTER, N.Y.” CREAM TAPE FIXED TO CENTER OF BOTTOM EDGE. SLIDE FACE HAS DUST AND GRIME AND SURFACE SCRATCHES. F. FILM HOLDER: 22CM LONG X 12.3CM WIDE X 2CM DEEP. BLACK PLASTIC AND METAL HOLDER WITH SLIDE INSIDE; BLACK METAL HANDLE AT THE TOP OF HOLDER TO PULL SLIDE OUT. CHROME MECHANISM ALONG TOP EDGE FOR WINDNG FILM. FRONT HAS WHITE LABEL ON SURFACE AND WHITE TEXT ON FRONT PANEL: “GRAFMATIC FILM HOLDER, “45” GRAPHIC, MANUFACTURED BY GRAFLEX INC. ROCHESTER 8, NEW YORK, U.S.A.” BACK HAS TEXT ALONG TOP EDGE READING: “4 X 5 GRAFMATIC U.S.A. PAT. PENDING, MFD. BY GRAFLEX INC. ROCHESTER, N.Y., U.S.A.” G. FILM HOLDER: 18CM LONG X 12CM WIDE X 4.2CM DEEP. BLACK PLASTIC AND METAL. FOR ROLLED FILM WITH A CHAMBER FOR LOADING IN ROLL FILM. RIGHT EDGE HAS SILVER HANDLE FOR PULLING OUT BACK SLIDE FROM HOLDER. TOP HAS CHROME MECHANISM FOR ROLLING FILM. FRONT OF CHAMBER HAS WHITE TEXT “ “23” GRAPHIC” AND INSCRIBED TEXT “GRAFLEX, 120 ROLL HOLDER.” INSIDE CHAMBER HAS WHITE TEXT “GRAFLEX INC., ROCHESTER, N.Y., U.S. PAT. 2,588,054, & PAT. PENDING, MADE IN U.S.A.” BACK HAS INSCRIBED TEXT “4X5 GRAPHIC”. H. FLASH: SILVER FLASH ATTACHMENT FOR CAMERA; 43.5CM LONG X 19CM DIAMETER; CHROME REFLECTOR FIXED TO SILVER HANDLE WITH BLACK FITTINGS AT BASE AND CONNECTING TO REFLECTOR. HANDLE HAS TEXT “GRAFLEX” PRINTED IN BLACK AND HAS TEN SQUARE FITTINGS LABELLED: “EXTENSION,” SHUTTER,” “BATTERY,” REMOTE,” “SOLENOID.” BASE HAS TEXT INSCRIBED: “GRAFLEX SYNCHRONIZED BATTERY CASE, MANUFACTURED BY GRAFLEX INC., ROCHESTER 8, N.Y., U.S.A.” BACK OF FLASH HAS YELLOW TAPE ATTACHED TO BASE OF REFLECTOR, AND HANDWRITTEN TEXT IN BLACK INK, “360”.

Subjects

PHOTOGRAPHIC T&E

Historical Association

PROFESSIONS

History

IN 2017, BRUCE VERNON DECOUX OFFERED FOR DONATION A GRAFLEX CAMERA AND ACCESSORIES THAT HAD BEEN USED BY HIS FATHER, VERNON DECOUX, A WELL-KNOWN PHOTOGRAPHER FROM CROWSNEST PASS. ON MAY 23, 2018, COLLECTIONS TECHNICIAN KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED BRUCE VERNON DECOUX ABOUT HIS FATHER’S GRAFLEX CAMERA AND CAREER AS A PHOTOGRAPHER. DECOUX SPOKE TO HIS FATHER’S ACQUISITION OF THE GRAFLEX CAMERA, STATING, “…THIS WAS THE CAMERA THAT HE USED CONSISTENTLY, OVER MANY DECADES. THIS CAMERA WENT WITH HIM, TO PLACES THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULDN’T WANT TO GO, AND TO PLACES THAT PEOPLE ENJOYED GOING TO.” “I REMEMBER, WHEN HE PURCHASED THIS CAMERA, THIS WAS A VERY BIG ISSUE IN OUR FAMILY. MONEY WAS TIGHT. HE WAS TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING BEING A PHOTOGRAPHER, WORKING FOR THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD. TO PURCHASE A CAMERA LIKE THIS WAS LIKE BUYING A BIG TRUCK…WHEN THIS CAMERA ARRIVED, IT WAS JUST A GREAT DAY IN THE FAMILY. HE TOOK THE CAMERA OUT AND HE STUDIED IT. I CAN REMEMBER HIM HAVING IT ON THE KITCHEN TABLE, AND APPROACHING IT VERY CAUTIOUSLY, BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING HE HAD NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH – THIS WAS A DIFFERENT CONCEPT. THIS WASN’T ROLL FILM; THIS WAS SLIDES – 4 X 5.” “IT CAME FROM TORONTO. HE HAD TO BUY [IT] OUT OF TORONTO…I REMEMBER BEING FASCINATED BY THE QUALITY OF THE BOX THAT IT CAME IN. I HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH A STURDY-LOOKING BOX WITH A CAMERA. I DO REMEMBER WHEN HE TOOK THAT APART, IT WAS ALL WRAPPED UP IN PLASTIC; DIDN’T HAVE THE FOAM INSERT THAT CAMERAS NOWADAYS HAVE THAT YOU SET IT IN SO THEY ARE [STABLE]– IT WAS VERY HEAVILY WRAPPED, AND, AT THE TIME, HE DIDN’T HAVE A FLASH FOR IT. THAT WAS AN ATTACHMENT HE BOUGHT LATER...THEN HE BOUGHT DIFFERENT LENSES FOR IT – WIDE-ANGLE LENS…THE CAMERA WAS RARELY CLOSED. IT WAS ALWAYS LEFT OPEN. ONE OF THE REASONS HE LIKED THE CAMERA…[WAS] BECAUSE IT SIGNIFIED…WHAT HE WAS DOING. WHEN HE WOULD GO PLACES, AND PEOPLE WOULD SEE THAT CAMERA, IT WAS IMPOSING, AND IMPRESSIVE…PEOPLE WOULD SEE THAT AND SAY, 'THAT’S A PHOTOGRAPHER THERE. I WONDER WHAT HE’S TAKING A PICTURE OF?' AND, SOMETIMES THEY WOULD GATHER AROUND, JUST TO SEE WHAT HE WAS GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE OF.” ACCORDING TO THE DONOR, HIS CROWSNEST PASS-BASED FATHER VERNON DEVELOPED AN ENTHUSIASM FOR PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE YEARS AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR. ACCORDING TO SON BRUCE, “I REMEMBER, WHEN MY FATHER DECIDED TO STOP WORKING, BECAUSE HE DID WORK AT THE MINE…BUT, HE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY, BECAUSE HE COULD WRITE QUITE WELL…THIS OPPORTUNITY CAME TO WORK, WITH THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, AND IT WAS THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD THAT REALLY GAVE HIM HIS START. HE WORKED WITH THEM, AND HE ALSO ACTED, OVER TIME…AS THE CIRCULATION MANAGER, WHICH MEANT HE MANAGED ALL THE PAPERBOYS IN THE COMMUNITY…HE MADE SURE THE PAPERS WERE DELIVERED. HE DID PRINTING – WENT TO THE LOCAL BUSINESSES IN TOWN, AND SOLICITED PRINTING FROM THEM, FOR THEIR BUSINESSES, SO THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD WAS REALLY A THREE-PRONGED THING. THERE WAS THE PRINTING; THERE WAS THE NEWS, AND PHOTOGRAPHY; AND THERE WAS THE CIRCULATION ASPECT…THE PHOTOGRAPHY JUST EVOLVED, AS TIME WENT ON. HE KNEW HE HAD TO EVOLVE THAT…” “HE FIRST STARTED OUT [WHEN] HE BOUGHT A SMALL SECOND-HAND ROLIFLEX, 2 ¼ X 2 ¼. HE TOOK PICTURES WITH THAT, AND THAT WAS A ROLL CAMERA (ROLL FILM). HE’D TAKE IT DOWN TO A LOCAL FELLOW WHO WOULD DEVELOP THEM…HE MOVED TO LEARNING HOW TO DEVELOP HIS OWN, AND HE FOUND THAT AWKWARD, DEVELOPING THOSE SMALL FILMS….HE BUILT HIMSELF, IN THIS NEW HOUSE…A DARK-ROOM. SLOWLY HE PURCHASED THE CHEMICALS, AND LEARNED HOW TO DO THIS, FROM THE FELLOW DOWNTOWN. THEY WERE GREAT FRIENDS. HE ALSO SPOKE TO ANOTHER FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPHER HERE – [THOMAS] GUSHUL. HE JUST LIVED…3 BLOCKS DOWN. HE GOT INFORMATION FROM HIM, AND THEY TALKED BACK AND FORTH.” “HE STARTED HIS PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS IN THE EARLY ‘50S…HE STARTED TAKING WEDDING PICTURES, AND HE QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THE FORMAT OF THE 2 ¼ X 2 ¼, RELATIVE TO THE LENGTH OF THE ROOM, DIDN’T WORK FOR LARGE WEDDINGS… ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY PEOPLE BEGAN TO REQUEST THAT HE TAKE THEIR WEDDING RECEPTION, COMMUNION, GRADUATION, BABY PICTURES AS WELL AS COMMERCIAL MINING, POLICE AND PASSPORT PICTURES.” “HE STARTED USING THAT [GRAFLEX] CAMERA…FIRST FOR WEDDINGS, BUT HE QUICKLY LEARNED THAT THAT WAS THE CAMERA TO USE FOR TAKING PICTURES OF LOCAL DISASTERS, AND WE HAD MANY OF THEM. THE RCMP AND HIM FORMED A COALITION. WHENEVER THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT, HE’D GET A PHONE CALL, SOMETIMES 3 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING, BECAUSE, IN THOSE DAYS, THE RCMP AND THE LOCAL POLICE…DIDN’T HAVE THE SKILLS, OR THE EQUIPMENT, TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS. SOME OF THEM MAY HAVE HAD A SMALL 35, BUT A SMALL 35 IN THE MIDDLE OF A RAINY NIGHT, AT 3 IN THE MORNING, DOESN’T DO YOU MUCH GOOD FOR EVIDENTIAL PICTURES, SO THEY WOULD CALL HIM. HE WOULD GO WITH THIS CAMERA, BECAUSE IT PACKED THE POWER…ON A 4 X 5 NEGATIVE, [THE IMAGES] WERE ABSOLUTELY SHARP. THOSE PICTURES COULD BE BLOWN UP 10 TIMES, AND THEY WERE CRYSTAL-CLEAR…HE REALLY STROVE TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT WERE ABSOLUTELY SHARP.” “HIS INTEREST IN PHOTOGRAPHY WAS SPURRED BY HIS ASSOCIATION WITH THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, AND THEY NEEDED PICTURES, BECAUSE, AT THAT TIME, THIS WAS A THRIVING, BOOMING AREA, AND THERE WERE MANY PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE TAKEN – TRAIN DERAILMENTS, TRUCK ACCIDENTS, MINE ACCIDENTS, AND THE AREA WAS BOOMING…THERE WAS A LOT OF BUILDING GOING ON…THIS WAS ALL FODDER FOR A WEEKLY COLUMN THAT HE WROTE FOR…ALMOST 30 YEARS, FOR THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD, CALLED ‘THE PASS WORDS’, OR THE ‘CROWSNEST PASS BUREAU’, AND HE NEEDED PHOTOGRAPHS TO BACK THAT UP.” “THAT FALLS OFF [IN THE 1970S]. HE NO LONGER WRITES HIS COLUMN, AND HE NO LONGER DOES THE PAPERBOYS. THEY ACTUALLY STATIONED A PERSON RIGHT HERE IN THE PASS TO LOOK AFTER THAT, AND THEN, AFTERWARDS, THEY STOPPED DELIVERING THE PAPER. THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD JUST KIND OF FADED OUT IN THE PASS. HIS COLUMN – A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN’T READ IT ANYMORE, BECAUSE…THERE WERE 2 PAPERS. YOU COULD READ THE PASS HERALD, WHICH IS STILL RUNNING, OR YOU COULD READ THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD…PEOPLE BOUGHT BOTH, BECAUSE THEY WERE BOTH ABOUT THE SAME PRICE. THEY READ THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD FOR THAT COLUMN ‘THE CROWSNEST PASS BUREAU’ TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE. AS A REPORTER, HIS CONCEPT WAS, 'YOU REPORT WHAT IS NEW.' I REMEMBER HIM ALWAYS TELLING ME, 'YOUR OWN OPINION HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT YOU ARE REPORTING. YOU REPORT THE FACTS.'” “HE NEVER GOT PAID FOR THE PASS HERALD. HE…REGARDED THAT AS HIS, 'THIS IS OUR LOCAL PAPER'…THEY HAD A LACK OF PHOTOGRAPHERS, TOO, AND A LACK OF PEOPLE TO CONTRIBUTE, SO HE WOULD HELP OUT BY GIVING THEM…A PICTURE A WEEK TO THE PASS HERALD, SOMETHING HE HAD TAKEN A PICTURE OF…IT WAS CALLED ‘PAST MEMORIES’ – JUST PICK OUT AN ODD NEGATIVE; GIVE IT TO THEM; AND THEY’D PRINT IT IN THE PASS HERALD. EVERY WEEK FOR 20 YEARS…HE NEVER RAN OUT OF THINGS TO GIVE THEM.” “THE BUSINESS JUST GREW AND GREW. THE CAMERA WAS AN INTEGRAL PART OF IT BECAUSE, EVEN AT THE FESTIVAL PICTURES, HE WOULD BE THERE WITH THAT BIG CAMERA, AND PEOPLE SAW THE CAMERA, AND THEY IMMEDIATELY WOULD REACT TO IT. “OH, HE’S GOING TO TAKE A PICTURE. LET’S GET OUT OF HERE.” ALL HE’D HAVE TO DO WAS BRING THE PICTURE UP, AND PEOPLE WOULD CLEAR AWAY, WHATEVER HE WANTED TO TAKE THE PICTURE OF. HE OFTEN COMMENTED ON THAT. IT’S A SYMBOL THAT BUSINESS IS BEING DONE HERE – WE’RE TAKING A PHOTOGRAPH FOR POSTERITY HERE. GET OUT OF THE WAY, OR GET IN IT!” WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS OWN CONNECTIONS AND MEMORIES OF THE CAMERA, BRUCE DECOUX RECALLED, “THE CAMERA WAS A MILESTONE INSTRUMENT THAT IMPACTED OUR FAMILY. THAT CAMERA MADE A LIVING FOR OUR FAMILY…HE TOOK A BIG CHANCE BUYING IT. IT NEVER BROKE DOWN. HE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT…I THINK IT WAS THE QUALITY OF THE CAMERA, AND HE WAS METICULOUS ABOUT HIS [CARE FOT IT]…KEPT EVERYTHING PERFECTLY CLEAN. IT WAS A FINE INSTRUMENT. IT’S OFTEN REFERRED TO AS ‘THE WORKHORSE.’ I STILL THINK BACK, IF I’M WATCHING A NEW MOVIE MADE TO LOOK LIKE AN OLD MOVIE, OR AN OLD MOVIE, IF YOU SEE THE PHOTOGRAPHERS IN IT, WITH THEIR BIG FLASH, I REMEMBER MY DAD DOING THE SAME THING TAKING THOSE PICTURES.” “I WAS WITH HIM AFTER THE MICHEL MINE EXPLOSION, WHEN THOSE MINERS HAD BEEN TRAPPED UNDERGROUND FOR A FEW DAYS…WHEN THEY RESCUED THEM – WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF THERE – HE TOOK A PICTURE WITH THAT CAMERA, AND IT WAS QUITE A WELL-KNOWN PICTURE.” “I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HAVE KEPT ALL OF HIS CAMERAS, BECAUSE HE CHERISHED THEM ALL; BUT YOU CAN ONLY KEEP SO MUCH…THAT CAMERA RECORDED A SIGNIFICANT TWO OR THREE DECADES OF HISTORY IN THE CROWSNEST PASS, AND THE AREA…HE’S TAKEN PICTURES, WITH THAT CAMERA, OF PIERRE TRUDEAU – TRUDEAU WAS HERE; CAME OVER TO THE HOUSE; HAD SUPPER WITH MY MOM AND DAD. THEY TALKED CAMERAS…LEICA CAMERAS. TRUDEAU LIKED LEICAS. HE’S TAKEN PICTURES OF PETER LOUGHEED, WITH THAT CAMERA. HE’S TAKEN PICTURES OF STOMPIN’ TOM CONNORS, WITH THAT CAMERA. I CAN REMEMBER ONE TIME HE WENT TO THE UKRAINIAN DANCE FESTIVAL, AND, IN COLEMAN, THEY USED TO HAVE THESE DANCE FESTIVALS IN THE POLISH HALL, AND…HE WAS…A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE POLISH GOVERNMENT, AND MY DAD TOOK PICTURES OF HIM, AND HE REALLY WANTED PICTURES OF HIM AND THOSE DANCERS. HE TOOK IT WITH THAT [GRAFLEX] CAMERA, AND I CAN REMEMBER MY DAD WORKING LATE THAT NIGHT; COMING HOME; DEVELOPING THE NEGATIVES, AND MAKING CONTACT PRINTS, AND A COUPLE OF ENLARGED PRINTS FOR THIS FELLOW…MY DAD TOLD HIM, 'PICTURES WILL BE READY FOR YOU TOMORROW AT 10:00,'…THE FELLOW…CAME INTO THE HOUSE, AND MY DAD HAD THE PICTURES READY; HE HAD A CUP OF COFFEE, AND THEN HE LEFT. HE GAVE MY DAD A GIFT WHEN HE LEFT. AFTER MY MOM AND DAD PASSED AWAY, I WAS CLEANING OUT THE BASEMENT, AND HERE’S THIS BOTTLE OF BRANDY THIS FELLOW GAVE HIM – PEACH BRANDY – AND, IT WAS OLD WHEN HE GAVE IT TO HIM…I FIGURED OUT THAT IT MUST BE CLOSE TO 100 YEARS OLD. I STILL HAVE IT DOWNSTAIRS HERE IN THE ORIGINAL BOX THAT HE GAVE IT TO HIM…THE CAMERA WAS THERE WHENEVER.” PLEASE SEE THE PERMANENT FILE P20170046000-GA FOR MORE INFORMATION INCLUDING FULL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTION AND PHOTOGRAPHS.

Catalogue Number

P20160046000

Acquisition Date

2016-05

Collection

Museum

Less detail