A J Lancaster & Son Quarter Plate 1893 Instantograph Field Camera£90
21 Oct 2025 · Chiswick Auctions · lot 26 · Photographicapremium removed
◆ ? title doesn’t name the view+ lens
Lancaster Instantograph 1/4-plate view
camera
The Lancaster Instantograph 1/4-plate view typically sells for £140 (median of 10 recorded sales, 2003–2025; fair evidence).
Typical sale price
£140
median of 10 sales, 2003–2025
Fair
Middle half of sales: £95–£188
Hammer prices, buyer’s premium removed; eBay as soldHow ↗
Not in the typical price
Listed apart, never blended in.
Over time
Every sale since 2003; no trend line.
Latest sales All 11 →
A Lancaster & Son ''The 1903 B. B.Instantagraph''Quarter Plate Mahogany and Brass Camera£40
15 Aug 2023 · Special Auction Services · lot 292 · Photographica & Cameras Auctionhammer
◆ ? title doesn’t name the view
A mahogany and brass Lancaster 'The 1893 Instantograph Patent' Quarter-Plate Field Camera£140
18 Apr 2023 · Special Auction Services · lot 103 · Photographica & Cameras Auctionhammer
◆ ? title doesn’t name the view
A Lancaster Instantograph Quarter Plate Field Camera£140
28 Mar 2023 · Flints Auctions · lot 477 · The Collectors Salepremium removed
◆ ? title doesn’t name the view
A J. Lancaster & Sons 'The 1889 Instantograph Patent' Mahogany & Brass Quarter Plate Camera£230
23 Apr 2022 · Flints Auctions · lot 180 · Fine Photographicapremium removed
◆ ? title doesn’t name the view+ lens
What it is
{"overview":"The Lancaster Instantograph is a Victorian-era British plate camera made by J. Lancaster & Son of Birmingham, with the quarter-plate view variant taking 3¼ × 4¼ inch glass negatives. Inspect the rack-and-pinion focusing, check that the original Lancaster-marked lens is present (these were often sold separately later), and confirm at least one usable double dark slide is included, since replacements for quarter-plate format are scarce.
Generated summary, 20 Apr 2026 — not checked by hand; prices on this page come from the sales, not from this text.
Other Instantographs
Instantograph (early)
5 salesabout £160IndicativeInstantograph (Aluminum)
1 saleSales onlyInstantograph (Brass)
0 salesNo sales yet
5 salesabout £160IndicativeInstantograph (Aluminum)
1 saleSales onlyInstantograph (Brass)
0 salesNo sales yet
Questions
What affects the value and price of a Lancaster Instantograph?
Bellows condition, presence of the original brass-bound Lancaster lens, surviving dark slides and case completeness are the main factors; bare bodies with damaged bellows sit at the bottom of the range.
Is the Lancaster Instantograph still usable?
Yes, with intact bellows and a usable dark slide it can still expose 3¼ × 4¼ inch glass plates or sheet film cut to size, though plate holders and chemistry must be sourced second-hand.
Facts
- Maker
- Lancaster
- Type
- camera
- Sales in the typical price
- 10
- First sale
- 21 Oct 2003
- Latest sale
- 21 Oct 2025
- Median
- £140
- Middle half
- £95–£188
- Evidence
- Fair
- Method
- v1
Cite this page
“Lancaster Instantograph 1/4-plate view: typical sale price £140, the median of 10 recorded sales, 2003–2025, middle half £95–£188 (Fair, method v1).” cameraworth.com, retrieved 8 October 2026. https://www.cameraworth.com/l/lancaster/instantograph-1-4-plate-view/