Lancaster Gem Apparatus
The Lancaster Gem Apparatus is a 19th-century British plate camera produced by J. Lancaster & Son of Birmingham, a maker active in the late Victorian era. It belongs to the wood-and-brass plate-camera tradition and was sold as a compact apparatus for amateur photographers of the period.
Sales data for the Gem Apparatus is extremely thin, with only one UK auction hammer result on record at £3,600 in 2011, so any sense of what one is worth today rests on that single saleroom data point rather than a settled market range. Because hammer prices reflect wholesale levels achieved at auction and exclude commission, a clean, complete example with original fittings would be expected to command a premium, while incomplete or damaged examples typically sell for considerably less.
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: November 2011
| Date | Price | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2011 | EUR 3,600 | Leitz Auction | |
|
Auction: Leitz Auction 20 (Lot AI_20_13013) Title: J. Lancaster & Son Gem Apparatus Multiple Lens Camera
Description:
12-lens camera (lenses on a brass lens board), polished mahogany body, taking up-to 36 exposures on 13x18cm plates (sliding dark slide), sliding front-door is used as shutter, with dark slide, in original condition Estimate: EUR 5,000 - EUR 6,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Lancaster Gem Apparatus worth today?
On the only UK auction record available, a Gem Apparatus sold for £3,600 hammer, but with just one data point the price any individual example sells for will depend heavily on completeness and condition.
How much does a Lancaster Gem Apparatus sell for at auction?
The single recorded UK auction hammer result is £3,600, which sits at the collector end of the Victorian plate-camera market; there is not enough data to quote a reliable range or median value.
Is the Lancaster Gem Apparatus a rare camera?
Auction appearances are infrequent, which is why the price evidence base is so limited and why condition and provenance tend to have an outsized effect on what each example sells for.