Gandolfi Prison Camera
The Gandolfi Prison Camera is a specialist large-format wooden camera produced by the British maker Gandolfi, a London firm long associated with hand-built mahogany and brass field and studio cameras. As its name suggests, it was configured for institutional identification work rather than general photography.
Documented UK auction hammer results for the Gandolfi Prison Camera are very limited, with the two recorded Christie's sales falling at £119 and £129, giving a median around £120. Because these results are from the early 2000s and no recent comparables are available, today's value at saleroom level is difficult to fix with confidence, and condition, completeness and the presence of original fittings would heavily influence what one sells for now.
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: February 2004
| Date | Price | Value GBP | Source | |
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| Feb 2004 | £119 | £100 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT INCLUDING MAGIC LANTERNS (Lot 182) Title: Prison camera
Description:
Prison camera Estimate: £25 - £100 |
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| Dec 2002 | £493 | £420 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: THE BRITISH CAMERA 1840-1960 THE JIM BARRON COLLECTION (Lot 118) Title: Prison camera
Description:
Prison camera Estimate: £120 - £180 |
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| Jul 2001 | £129 | £110 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS & PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 415) Title: Prison camera
Description:
Prison camera Estimate: £200 - £400 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Gandolfi Prison Camera worth today?
Based on the limited UK auction record, hammer prices have sat around £120, though so few sales exist that a current value cannot be stated with precision.
How much does a Gandolfi Prison Camera sell for at auction?
The two recorded Christie's hammer results were £119 and £129, but with no recent data the price a clean example would fetch now is uncertain.
Why is pricing data on this model so thin?
It is a specialist institutional camera that rarely comes to market, so the public sales history is small and any individual result can swing the apparent value.