Kodak Ordinary Kodak A
The Ordinary Kodak A is a roll-film box camera from the original Kodak family of the late 19th century, sold by the Eastman company as part of the line that introduced amateur photography on factory-loaded roll film. It belongs to the earliest era of mass-market cameras and is now treated almost exclusively as a collector's item rather than a user camera.
At UK auction the Ordinary Kodak A is a thinly traded collector piece: the limited hammer record available shows results around £1,175–£1,200, giving an indicative midpoint near £1,190 at saleroom level (wholesale, before commissions). With only a small number of recorded sales, what one of these sells for today in 2026 is highly dependent on completeness, originality and provenance, and individual examples can fall well outside that band.
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.
Prices updated: June 2008
| Date | Price | Source | |
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| Jun 2008 | EUR 1,200 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 13 (Lot AI_13_17083) Title: Model A Ordinary Kodak
Description:
the "A" Ordinary Kodak was a darkroom-loaded, roll film box camera built from 1891-1895. It produced (24) 2 ¾ x 3¼" images. It is housed in a polished, natural finished wood box and has a string-set sector shutter, and exposure counter. There was no viewfinder on the "A," having instead, V sighting lines pressed into the wood on the top surface. The shutter works. The leather pull for the front access panel has been replaced and the area around the string pull has the normal fingernail marks. There is no "sink stopper" lens cap included. The camera sold for $6.00, a savings of $2.50 over the deluxe model. Billed as the "Young Folk's Kodak", the 1892 Kodak catalogue asserted that "any boy or girl, 10 years old or over, can readily learn to make the finest photographs". Estimate: EUR 1,600 - EUR 2,000 |
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| Mar 2003 | £1,175 | Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 403) Title: Ordinary Kodak A no. 1028
Description:
Ordinary Kodak A no. 1028 Estimate: £1,500 - £2,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is an Ordinary Kodak A worth today?
Based on the limited UK auction hammer history available, examples have changed hands in the region of £1,175–£1,200, though with so few data points the true value of any individual camera depends heavily on condition and completeness.
How much does an Ordinary Kodak A sell for at auction?
Recorded UK saleroom results sit close to £1,200 at the hammer, excluding buyer's premium; exceptional, complete examples with provenance can price above this and incomplete ones below.
Is the Ordinary Kodak A a usable camera or a collector's item?
Its value is collector-driven rather than user-driven, so price is set by originality, condition of the wood and covering, and the presence of period fittings rather than by photographic usability.