A Houghton-Butcher Ensign Tropical Model Roll Film Reflex Camera£120
13 Feb 2024 · Special Auction Services · lot 462 · Photographica & Cameras Auctionhammer
◆ ? title doesn’t name the Tropen
Houghton Ensign Roll Film Reflex Tropen (Tropical)
camera
The Houghton Ensign Roll Film Reflex Tropen (Tropical) sells for about £230 (median of only 4 recorded sales, 2005–2024; indicative).
Typical sale price
about£230
median of only 4 sales, 2005–2024
Indicative
Few sales. Read this as a rough guide; every sale is shown below.
Hammer prices, buyer’s premium removed; eBay as soldHow ↗
How much does one sale move this?
Without the highest sale£170
Without the lowest sale£290
Every sale
A Houghton Ensign Roll Film Reflex Tropical 3¼x4¼'' Camera£290
21 May 2020 · Flints Auctions · lot 236 · Fine Photographica & Instruments of Sciencepremium removed
◆ ? title doesn’t name the Tropen+ lens
Houghton Ensign Roll Film Reflex Tropical£389
21 Nov 2015 · Leitz Photographica Auction · €550 · lot AI_28_33003hammer ↗
◆ ? title doesn’t name the Tropen+ lens
Ensign tropical rollfilm reflex no. E21669£170
15 Nov 2005 · Christie's · lot 426premium removed ↗
◆ ? title doesn’t name the Tropen+ lens
What it is
{"overview":"The Houghton Ensign Roll Film Reflex Tropen is a tropical-finish roll film SLR, built with teak or similar hardwood panels and brass fittings intended to resist humid climates. The reflex mirror, focusing hood, bellows and roll film back are the usual weak points — look for light leaks, torn bellows and a silvered mirror that has gone dim.
Generated summary, 24 Apr 2026 — not checked by hand; prices on this page come from the sales, not from this text.
Other Ensigns
Ensign Cinematograph
5 salesabout £350IndicativeEnsign All Distance Twenty (box, 1920s)
4 salesabout £8IndicativeEnsign Autorange 820
4 salesabout £942IndicativeEnsign E29 (box)
4 salesabout £11IndicativeEnsign Ful-Vue
4 salesabout £8IndicativeEnsign Midget 33
4 salesabout £168IndicativeEnsign Special Reflex Tropen (Tropical)
4 salesabout £323IndicativeEnsign Cameo Stereo
2 salesSales only
5 salesabout £350IndicativeEnsign All Distance Twenty (box, 1920s)
4 salesabout £8IndicativeEnsign Autorange 820
4 salesabout £942IndicativeEnsign E29 (box)
4 salesabout £11IndicativeEnsign Ful-Vue
4 salesabout £8IndicativeEnsign Midget 33
4 salesabout £168IndicativeEnsign Special Reflex Tropen (Tropical)
4 salesabout £323IndicativeEnsign Cameo Stereo
2 salesSales only
Questions
Why is the Tropical (Tropen) version more collectable?
The tropical finish uses polished hardwood and brass instead of leather-covered metal, which makes surviving examples rarer and gives them a higher value than standard Ensign Roll Film Reflex bodies in comparable condition.
Facts
- Maker
- Houghton
- Type
- camera
- Sales in the typical price
- 4
- First sale
- 15 Nov 2005
- Latest sale
- 13 Feb 2024
- Median
- £230
- Middle half
- £158–£315
- Evidence
- Indicative
- Method
- v1
Cite this page
“Houghton Ensign Roll Film Reflex Tropen (Tropical): about £230, the median of 4 recorded sales, 2005–2024 (Indicative, method v1).” cameraworth.com, retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.cameraworth.com/h/houghton/ensign-roll-film-reflex-tropen-tropical/