From time to time you will see a lens appearing here, which is rarely sold at all. You can look up ebay history and i doubt that you will find a 18" Cooke Knuckler sold there the last couple of years. So this might be the only chance to grab one of those really rare birds.

History: The Taylor Hobson Cooke Portrait lens is one of the rarest and most sought after pieces of glass out there. This is the top of the line Cooke triplet design portrait lens, which also features  two finger grip (also called 'knuckler'), for an easier adjustment of the soft focus mechanism.

The lens features an adjustment scale from '0' as in absolute sharp, to setting '3' which is the most soft focus possible. Taylor Hobson was known for its absolute stunning optical work and built quality. This lens runs as smooth as butter still after even 80 or more years, you can hear the air flow outside when you move the soft focus adjustment forth and back.

With its 460mm  (or 18") it will cover 11x14 easily and even give you enaugh room for movements on that format. I would recommend this lens even up to 14x17 portraits.

A truly amazing and rare lens.

Condition: The condition of the lens is truly stunning. The original golden laquere shows only minimal wear. The lens comes with a working iris aperture which moves smoothly from F5.6 - F22. The most important part here is the glass, which comes in a very good and clear condition. There might be minimal cleaning marks, but i cant hardly see any. It is truly in collectors condition!

The lens comes with its original flange.





height: 15cm
width:11cm
weight: 4100gr

Insured and tracked shipping cost:

Germany - 20 eur
EU* - 40 eur
Worldwide - 110 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)

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.