Lancaster Brass Bound Instantograph
The Lancaster Brass Bound Instantograph is a Victorian-era British plate camera, built as a folding mahogany field camera with brass fittings. Lancaster of Birmingham produced the Instantograph line as a mid-market offering for amateur and travelling photographers in the late 19th century.
Sales data for the Brass Bound Instantograph is thin, so the value picture in 2026 remains broad: recorded UK auction hammer results range from £35 to £180, with no clear median given only two data points. A 2023 saleroom example sold for £35, while a Christie's hammer result from 2001 reached £176 — a spread that shows how much condition, completeness (lens, plate holders, case) and provenance affect what one of these sells for today.
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: August 2023
| Date | Price | Source | |
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| Aug 2023 | £35 | Special Auction Services | |
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Auction: Photographica & Cameras Auction (Lot 75) Title: A J Lancaster & Son 1900 B B Instantograph Quarter Plate Mahogany & Brass Camera
Description:
A J Lancaster & Son 1900 B B Instantograph Quarter Plate Mahogany & Brass Camera, brass bound, missing focus screen holder, some tarnishing to brass, |
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| Jul 2001 | £176 | Christie's | |
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Auction: CAMERAS & PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 408) Title: Instantograph 1903 BB field camera
Description:
Instantograph 1903 BB field camera Estimate: £150 - £200 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Lancaster Brass Bound Instantograph worth today?
Based on UK auction hammer results, examples have sold between roughly £35 and £180, with condition and completeness of lens, bellows and plate holders being the main drivers of value.
How much does a Lancaster Brass Bound Instantograph sell for at auction?
Recorded hammer prices range from £35 (2023) to £176 (Christie's, 2001); with only two confirmed sales, any single result can sit outside that band.
Is the Lancaster Brass Bound Instantograph a usable camera or a display piece?
Most surviving examples are bought as display or collector items; using one photographically requires intact bellows, a working shutter or lens cap technique, and dry plates or sheet film adapted to the original plate size.