Importent Notice: I will be travelling through Europe starting from September. The shop will be open for orders in the meantime. Just take into account that i shipping will not be possible untill late fall.

Last shipping window before we leave is 03.09.2024.

History: The Cone Centralisateur lens design (which is a slightly modyfied petzval layout), is absolutely famous and sought after in the late 19th century and even more today. It was the flagship lens for Jamins and Darlots workshop in the early 1850ies and 1860ies in Paris. It offered better optical quality then most of his rivals, and besides that also a possibility to use it as a portrait ('portrait') lens, or as a landscape lens ('paysage'). Even though its a normal petzval design, you will see a difference to other portrait petzvals from that time. The Cone Centralisateur lenses have this cenrtain 'something' to their image, which is hard to grasp, but many people are looking for.

The engraving reads:

'ANCne Mon Jamin - Darlot Sr Opt Bte S.G.D.G. - 14 rue chapon 14  Paris - 1452'

That engraving puts the lens in the time period 1863-64, the two years after Jamin finally retired and left his workshop to Darlot.

Condition: This brass beauty comes in a collectors condition. Overall the brass shows some wear here and there, but also a very dark and authentic patina. It literally 'breathes' the nearly 165 years it has suirvived. The glass is in a quite good condition, there are some cleaning marks as you might expect from a lens with this age, and a small edge chip in the rear, nothing that would affect the image quality of this fine lens.

With its fast open aperture of F4.5 and a focal lengh of 330mm (or almost 13"), this lens will work anywhere from 5x7 to 8x10 format, and very likely even 10x12 if you really want to see alot of petzval character in your images.

In landscape mode it will have an estimated focal lenght of 600mm, covering huge ULF formats like 20" x 20" !

The lens comes with a flange, the center piece to hold the washer stops.



height: 21cm
width: 10cm
weight: 2300gr

Insured and tracked shipping cost:

Germany - 20 eur
EU* - 60 eur
Worldwide - 100 eur**

*(the site offers only 2 shipping variations, DE and worldwide. buyers from EU please either contact me beforehand for a reduced EU cost, or after buying so i can send a refund over the difference)

** the high cost is due the high insurance value

Importent Note: This item comes from my private collection and is around 100 years old (antique). I try my best to describe all the faults and major damage which are relevant for the function of this item. But the actuall item can show signs of wear and also some cosmetic blemishes/damage which is not described in the auction text! When buying this item the buyer agrees to this terms.