Comments from
The Practical Photographer  - 1895

The illustrations above appeared in the journal:  'The Practical Photographer', May 1895.  The journal commented:

"A novel pattern of hand camera has been invented by a Frenchman, Dr Portafax, and is being put on the market by FM Richard, 57, Rue St Roche, Paris. 

This application does not resemble the ordinary pattern of hand held cameras.  When shut, it is exactly like a book of moderate dimensions.  It can therefore be concealed until the subject to be photographed has been pretty well decided upon, and then is opened much in the fashion of a box.

Inside is a folding chamber and a focussing screen, and there is sufficient room to insert a dark slide.  There is a focussing arrangement, an iris diaphragm and a shutter.  If it be desired to use the arrangement on a stand, it is only necessary to take off the back of the book.  All these arrangements will be better understood by examining the illustrations."

[The Practical Photographer, Oct 1895, p.315]

1856 -  Individual Items:     Catalogue     Cameras + Lenses      Apparatus      Chemicals

1856 - Completes sets:    Paper Process     Collodions + Paper    Daguerreotype

1856 - Chemicals:           Calotype        Collodion + Albumen       Daguerreotype