Material Type

Artifact

Other Name

POLICE CROWN GRAFLEX CAMERA CASE

Date Range From

1960

Date Range To

1970

Materials

PRESSED PAPER, STEEL, PLASTIC

No. Pieces

22

Height

25

Length

44.5

Width

22.7

Description

GREY PRESSED PAPER CASE WITH BLACK STEEL REINFORCED CORNERS. HINGED LID WITH THREE CLASPS AT FRONT; LOCK AT CENTRE. LEATHER CARRYING HANDLE AT TOP OF CASE MARKED "LETH POLICE" ACROSS TOP; "CITY POLICE IDENTIFICATION BRANCH" STAMPED ON ADHESIVE LABEL BELOW. SCRATCHED INTO TOP RIGHT CORNER "OP2-007-073-004". INTERIOR OF CASE DIVIDED INTO FIVE COMPARTMENTS, WHICH CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING: .1 NINE 4 X 5 FILM HOLDERS. INCLUDE FOUR BLACK "RITEWAY" GRAPHIC FILM HOLDER WITH PLASTIC FRAME AND TWO PULL-OUT PANELS IN EACH. ALSO FOUR "FIDELITY DELUXE FIDELITY CUT FILM HOLDER OF SAME STYLE, AND ONE "LISCO REGAL" "LISCO CUT FILM HOLDER" ALSO OF SAME STYLE. ALL ARE SCRATCHED SLIGHTLY THROUGHOUT. .2 CAMERA. BROWN LEATHER CASE WITH "ANSCO" IN GOLD LETTERS ON LENS CAP SECTION. BLUE ADHESIVE LABEL ON TOP OF CASE WITH "CITY POLICE IDENTIFICATION BRANCH". CASE OPENS BY SNAP ON FLAP; SMALL LEATHER CARRYING STRAP AFFIXED BY SIDE RINGS. CONTAINS 35MM CAMERA, FIXED TO CASE BY MEANS OF THREADED BOLT AT BOTTOM. BACK OF CAMERA OPENS; "AV 4286" STAMPED ON LOWER RIGHT INSIDE CORNER. BASE READS "MADE FOR ANSCO BY AGFA CAMERA WERK AG MUNCHEN GERMANY BY ANSCO-GAF". LENS MARKED "AGFA APOTAR..". INCLUDES FOLDED FILM INSTRUCTIONS. .3 PRINT COATER. WHITE CARDBOARD RECTANGULAR BOX WITH HOLE THROUGH CENTRE OF TWO SIDES. CONTAINS TWO BLACK PLASTIC VIALS WITH WHITE PLASTIC LIDS. MARKED ON SIDES IS "FOR BLACK AND WHITE PICTURES ONLY" AND "POLAROID PRINT COATER". EACH CONTAINS LONG SPONGE DAMP WITH DEVELOPING SOLUTION. .4 SET OF TWO IDENTICAL ALUMINUM BRACKETS. CONSIST OF LOOPED BAND CONNECTED TO RECTANGULAR-SHAPED BASE WITH THREADED BOLT FIXED ACROSS INTERIOR. .5 SET OF TWO IDENTICAL COILED BLACK CORDS (RUBBER COATED). TWO-PRONG PLUG AT ONE END, WITH HEAD FOR ROUND OUTLET AT OTHER END. "H" MARKED ON PLUG. .6 UNKNOWN DEVICE. GREY PLASTIC DISC WITH LARGE FLATHEAD BOLT AT TOP. BELOW IS STEEL SHANK, WITH POINTED END. .7 UNKNOWN DEVICE. STEEL CYLINDRICAL VIAL WITH FOUR HOLES PERFORATED AROUND LOWER END; ENGRAVED "GRAFLEX #2" WITH U.S. PATENT NUMBERS LISTED. THREADED LID WITH TINY HOOK FOR HANGING; INSIDE LID FIXED WITH STEEL SHANK WITH WIRE SPRING AROUND. EXTERIOR OF LID IS SERRATED VERTICALLY. .8 CLEAR PLASTIC PILL CONTAINER; WHITE LID. CONTAINS THREE PIECES WHITE CHALK. .9 KEY. CIRCULAR LOOP AT HEAD; HOLLOW SHANK. STEEL.

Subjects

PHOTOGRAPHIC T&E

Historical Association

SAFETY SERVICES

History

FROM LETHBRIDGE POLICE COLLECTION. CASE IS FOR CROWN GRAFLEX CAMERA, ISSUED TO DETECTIVE GLEN B. MICHELSON IN 1961 BY ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE IDENTIFICATION BRANCH. MICHELSON JOINED LETH. CITY POLICE IN 1950, AND WAS PROMOTED TO DETECTIVE IN 1957. IN 1961 HE ATTENDED A SEVEN-WEEK TRAINING COURSE AT THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE IDENTIFICATION BRANCH SCHOOL IN OTTAWA, WHERE CAMERA WAS ISSUED. CAMERA WAS STANDARD EQUIPMENT OF ALL ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE IDENT BRANCHES IN CANADA. WHEN MICHELSON RETURNED TO LETHBRIDGE HE SET UP THE CITY POLICE'S FIRST IDENT BRANCH, AND WORKED AS A QUALIFIED FINGERPRINT TECHNICIAN. THE ANSCO CAMERA WAS ALSO AMONG HIS EARLY EQUIPMENT, AND WAS USED AT CRIME SCENES ETC., THOUGH THE CROWN GRAFLEX WAS THE MORE COMMONLY USED CAMERA. ALTHOUGH THE CASE WAS DONATED TO MUSEUM BY POLICE, THE CAMERA ITSELF REMAINS (03/00) AT THE POLICE STATION. WAS IN USE FOR OVER 20 YEARS. THE CROWN GRAFLEX CAMERA WAS THE FIRST PIECE OF EQUIPMENT ACQUIRED FOR THE NEW INVESTIGATIVE BRANCH IN 1961. STANDARD TO EVERY ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE IDENTIFICATION BRANCH AT THE TIME, THE CAMERA TOOK HIGH QUALITY PHOTOS OF FINGERPRINTS AND CRIME SCENES. THE SMALLER ANSCO CAMERA WAS ALSO USEFUL FOR ACCIDENT AND CRIME SCENES. *UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING SOME DONATED BY THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE POLICE SERVICES. FOR A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE LETHBRIDGE POLICE COLLECTION, SEE RECORD P19960112001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE POLICE SERVICES AND TRANSCRIPTS OF INTERVIEWS AND CORRESPONDENCE WITH CURRENT AND FORMER LETHBRIDGE POLICE, SEE PERMANENT FILE P19960112000.

Catalogue Number

P19960112062

Acquisition Date

1996-12

Collection

Museum

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