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Graflex Revolving Back (RB) Cycle Graphic

The Graflex Revolving Back (RB) Cycle Graphic is an early American large-format field camera, built around a wooden body with a rotating rear standard that allowed the photographer to switch between portrait and landscape framing without repositioning the camera. It was introduced in the late 1890s as part of Graflex's Cycle Graphic line and was positioned as a portable plate camera for serious amateur and professional use in the era before roll-film dominance.

Auction data for this model is extremely thin: the only verified UK saleroom record on file is a single hammer result of £322 at Christie's in 1998, so any sense of what one is worth today rests on that lone data point rather than a current range. As of 2026, sellers asking what a Revolving Back Cycle Graphic sells for should treat that historic auction figure as a wholesale benchmark only — it is a hammer price excluding commission, and condition, completeness of the original plate holders and lens, and bellows integrity will swing realised value significantly.

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
Mar 1998 £322 Christie's