Adams Vesta
The Adams Vesta is a British folding plate camera produced by Adams & Co. of London, a maker active from the late nineteenth into the early twentieth century. It is a strut-folding camera of its era, aimed at the serious amateur plate-photography market when new.
At UK auction, hammer results for the Adams Vesta have ranged from roughly £110 to £580 across recorded saleroom sales, with the most recent result in 2023 selling for £150. Because these figures are wholesale hammer prices rather than retail asking prices, a clean, complete example today is worth noticeably more than a tired one, and condition, original plate holders, and a working shutter account for most of the spread.
Sales History
Prices shown are realised prices — auction results and completed eBay sales, never asking prices. Most saleroom figures are hammer prices, before commission; some houses publish a premium-inclusive figure, and we do not adjust for condition. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher. How this figure is calculated.
Prices updated: June 2024
| Date | Price | Value GBP | Source | |
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| Jun 2024 | £56 | £45 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Auction (Lot 504) Title: An Adams Vesta Folding Film Plate Camera Cased Outfit
Description:
black, serial number 157, bellows extends but not light checked, shutter works but speeds erratic, optics VG, in a case with a set of plate holders. |
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| Jan 2023 | £150 | £120 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 434) Title: An Adams Vesta Folding Bed Camera Outfit
Description:
6.5 x 9cm format, body G, with Zeiss Tessar lens, optics F, with some internal fungus and cleaning marks present, in working Compur shutter, together (Qty: 1) |
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| Apr 2014 | £260 | £260 | 🇬🇧 Special Auction Services (archive) | |
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Auction: Cameras and Photographic Equipment on Wednesday 30th April 2014 at 11:00 (Lot 30) Title: An Adams & Co. Vesta Camera
Description:
An Adams & Co. Vesta Camera, serial no. 418, with Ross Zeiss Tessar f/4.5 112mm lens, serial no. 16819, body, G-VG, shutter working, 1s sticking slightly, lens, VG, with DS (11), in case Estimate: £80 - £120 |
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| Dec 2002 | £235 | £200 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: THE BRITISH CAMERA 1840-1960 THE JIM BARRON COLLECTION (Lot 43) Title: Vesta camera no. 5071
Description:
Vesta camera no. 5071 Estimate: £150 - £200 |
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| Jul 2001 | £105 | £89 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS & PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 379) Title: Vesta camera no. 503
Description:
Vesta camera no. 503 Estimate: £100 - £150 |
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| Jul 1998 | £575 | £500 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND OPTICAL TOYS (Lot 367) Title: VP Vesta no. 5071
Description:
VP Vesta no. 5071 Estimate: £20 - £150 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is an Adams Vesta worth today?
Based on UK auction hammer prices, an Adams Vesta has most recently sold for £150 in 2023, with earlier saleroom results between about £110 and £580 depending on condition and completeness.
How much does an Adams Vesta sell for at auction?
Recent UK hammer prices suggest the Adams Vesta sells for around £150 for a representative example, though exceptional cased sets with original accessories have historically reached closer to £580.
Is the Adams Vesta a collectible camera?
Yes, it is collected as an early-twentieth-century British plate camera, and its price at auction is driven mainly by cosmetic condition, bellows integrity, and whether original plate holders and the lens are present.