Dubroni No.3
The Dubroni No.3 is a 19th-century French wet-plate collodion camera, one of a series of small self-contained cameras produced by Dubroni in Paris that allowed the photographer to sensitise, expose and develop a plate inside the camera body itself. It is a collector's item rather than a working tool, valued today for its place in early photographic history.
At UK auction the Dubroni No.3 has produced hammer prices in a wide range, with two recorded results of £1,375 (2003) and £2,200 (2019), giving a midpoint around £1,800. With so few public sales, what a Dubroni No.3 is worth in 2026 depends heavily on completeness of the original outfit, condition of the internal glass vessel, and presence of period accessories, and saleroom results can swing well outside that range.
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 2019
| Date | Price | Value GBP | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2019 | EUR 2,200 | £1,960 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 34 (Lot AI_34_37079) Title: Dubroni No.3
Description:
rare large version for 7x9cm oval exposures, walnut body, amber glass bottle interior with a Dubroni Petzval type lens, maker's plaque on the back of the camera: 'Dubroni's Apparatus Patented 60 Regent Street', the Dubroni was the first camera to include an internal system for processing. The plates were first sensitized then developed and fixed inside the camera which had a fixed glass bottle inside. In very good condition. Estimate: EUR 4,000 - EUR 5,000 |
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| Nov 2003 | EUR 1,375 | £953 | 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 4 (Lot AI_4_22455) Title: G. J. Bourdin Dubroni No.3
Description:
Ausführung für ovale Platten mit 7cm Durchmesser, Mahagonigehäuse, braunes Innen-Glasgehäuse (gesprungen), Dubroni-Petzvalobjektiv 1:3,7 f=15cm, Zahnstangenfokussierung, Schlitz für Schiebeblenden. Tragegriff. Estimate: EUR 1,870 - EUR 4 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Dubroni No.3 worth today?
Based on the limited UK auction record, a Dubroni No.3 has sold for between roughly £1,400 and £2,200 at the hammer, with value strongly tied to completeness and condition.
How much does a Dubroni No.3 sell for at auction?
The two recorded UK hammer prices are £1,375 and £2,200, so a clean, reasonably complete example would currently be expected to sell for a four-figure sum in that bracket.
Why does the price of a Dubroni No.3 vary so much?
Because surviving examples differ greatly in completeness — the internal sensitising vessel, lens, plate holders and case are often missing or replaced — and only a handful of public sales exist to anchor the market.