Post by Sue on May 25, 2020 19:08:55 GMT -5
Of course, the Deardorff camera I am talking about is the one that aided the federal authorities in examining the handwriting on the Lindbergh ransom notes.
I had posted about the Deardorff camera on the other board a number of years back. This camera is a lost and found story that needs to be included in the history of the Lindbergh case.
The following is from The British Journal of Photography, Volume 131 (uncertain of the year that the article was published):
"Recently the Deardorffs had one of their special cameras come home to roost. This one-of-a-kind camera is seven feet long, and takes 11x14, 8x10, and 5x7 backs. It was designed for a handwriting analyst in 1928.
Jack [Deardorff] says: 'We think it was used in the Lindbergh kidnapping case. We're not sure yet. The possiblity it was used in the Lindbergh case is due to the period of time and where it was. We're trying to find out who some of the people were who operated it.
When the original owner retired, he sold it to the Chicago branch of the Secret Service. They sold it to the Chicago branch of the FBI. They transferred it to the Washington DC office of the FBI. They then sold it to the Secret Service in Washington DC. When they retired it, they sold it to the New York Police Department, who sold it to the Minneapolis Police Department.
A year and a half ago, a collector, Jacques Gagnon, was driving through the alley behind the police station in Minneapolis. They were throwing it out. It was in a dumpster already. He asked to buy it. They told him to take it. Mr. Gagnon drove down here and presented it to us. We gave him a new 8x10 in trade.'
Jack's uncle, Merle Deardorff, designed and built the camera.
Merle was on the premises when the camera arrived.
Much to his amusement there was not one original screw missing, nor were any replaced.
The camera was returned just as it was made.
Jack added.: 'One year after the camera was made, the owner ordered a transparency illuminator -- it's here. All the dividing boards for every back are here. These are the only boards we made like this, with a tongue and groove joint with the springs fastened to the boards. The backs have the original ground glass in them and they are all here.The original instructions and enlargement charts are here. You can't find the paper they're typed on anymore. Absolutely nothing is missing. The bellows have a few holes in them but they are the original.'
Walking through the Deardorff plant is like walking through history..."
------------------------------------
Forbes Magazine, 1987
Volume 140
"Deardorff has reacquired the camera his uncle built for handwriting expert E.C. Hood, which was used by federal agents to analyze the Lindbergh ransom note."
I had posted about the Deardorff camera on the other board a number of years back. This camera is a lost and found story that needs to be included in the history of the Lindbergh case.
The following is from The British Journal of Photography, Volume 131 (uncertain of the year that the article was published):
"Recently the Deardorffs had one of their special cameras come home to roost. This one-of-a-kind camera is seven feet long, and takes 11x14, 8x10, and 5x7 backs. It was designed for a handwriting analyst in 1928.
Jack [Deardorff] says: 'We think it was used in the Lindbergh kidnapping case. We're not sure yet. The possiblity it was used in the Lindbergh case is due to the period of time and where it was. We're trying to find out who some of the people were who operated it.
When the original owner retired, he sold it to the Chicago branch of the Secret Service. They sold it to the Chicago branch of the FBI. They transferred it to the Washington DC office of the FBI. They then sold it to the Secret Service in Washington DC. When they retired it, they sold it to the New York Police Department, who sold it to the Minneapolis Police Department.
A year and a half ago, a collector, Jacques Gagnon, was driving through the alley behind the police station in Minneapolis. They were throwing it out. It was in a dumpster already. He asked to buy it. They told him to take it. Mr. Gagnon drove down here and presented it to us. We gave him a new 8x10 in trade.'
Jack's uncle, Merle Deardorff, designed and built the camera.
Merle was on the premises when the camera arrived.
Much to his amusement there was not one original screw missing, nor were any replaced.
The camera was returned just as it was made.
Jack added.: 'One year after the camera was made, the owner ordered a transparency illuminator -- it's here. All the dividing boards for every back are here. These are the only boards we made like this, with a tongue and groove joint with the springs fastened to the boards. The backs have the original ground glass in them and they are all here.The original instructions and enlargement charts are here. You can't find the paper they're typed on anymore. Absolutely nothing is missing. The bellows have a few holes in them but they are the original.'
Walking through the Deardorff plant is like walking through history..."
------------------------------------
Forbes Magazine, 1987
Volume 140
"Deardorff has reacquired the camera his uncle built for handwriting expert E.C. Hood, which was used by federal agents to analyze the Lindbergh ransom note."