Enjalbert Photo Revolver de Poche
The Enjalbert Photo Revolver de Poche is a 19th-century French detective camera built in the form of a pocket revolver, with the photographic mechanism housed inside the body and shutter release linked to the trigger. It is a collector's curio rather than a working user camera, and surviving examples almost never appear outside specialist auctions.
With only two recorded UK auction hammer results in the dataset, sales have ranged from £47,500 to £69,750, giving a midpoint near £58,600 at saleroom level (wholesale, before commission). At this rarity tier the value of any given example is driven almost entirely by completeness, provenance and condition rather than a stable market median, so today the price a Photo Revolver de Poche sells for can vary widely between individual sales.
Sales History
Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.
| Date | Price | Source | |
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| Jun 2008 | EUR 47,500 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 13 (Lot AI_13_16809) Title: Enjalbert Photo Revolver de Poche
Description:
the camera was designed by Albert Posso (1854-1932) for the French company Enjalbert in the late 19th-century. It is thought that only 14 of these were made with fewer than six surviving examples on record, most of those being in museums in the USA, Europe and Asia. Albert Posso, was a French Alsacian who worked as a gunsmith in Paris during the siege of 1870-71.When Alsace was lost to the Germans shortly afterwards he became a German national completing his military service as senior gunsmith. On his return to France in 1877 Posso was employed by the French photographic firm Enjalbert expressly to design a camera which looked like a gun. Enjalbert had no experience of gun production and it was almost certain that Posso's design skills earned him the job. The camera's appearance owes everything to his skill and expertise which led to the production of one of the most effective and iconic disguised cameras. It is also one of the first handheld cameras in photographic history. The cylinder contains a magazine mechanism for 10 plates each 16x16mm. This highly desirable camera is in 100% original condition. Estimate: EUR 80,000 - EUR 100,000 |
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| Jul 2002 | £69,750 | Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 284) Title: Revolver de Poche camera no. 8
Description:
Revolver de Poche camera no. 8 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is an Enjalbert Photo Revolver de Poche worth?
The two recorded auction results sit between £47,500 and £69,750 hammer, but with so few sales the worth of any specific example depends heavily on condition and provenance.
How much does a Photo Revolver de Poche sell for at auction?
Recent UK saleroom hammer prices in the dataset are £47,500 (2008) and £69,750 (2002), excluding buyer's and seller's commission.
Why is the price so high?
It is a 19th-century French disguised detective camera that survives in very small numbers, so its value is set by collector rarity rather than photographic utility.