Lancaster Instantograph (early)
The Lancaster Instantograph is a 19th-century British plate camera, made in Birmingham by J. Lancaster & Son. The early variants are wooden-bodied field cameras designed for glass plates, sold from the 1880s onward as general-purpose outfits for amateur and professional use.
At UK auction in recent years, hammer prices for early Lancaster Instantograph examples have sat in a narrow £160–£200 band, with a median around £180 from the limited record set available today. Because these are wholesale saleroom results rather than retail prices, dealer-restored or complete outfits with original lens, plate holders and case typically sell for considerably more, while incomplete or worn bodies fetch less.
Sales History
Prices shown are realised prices — auction results and completed eBay sales, never asking prices. Most saleroom figures are hammer prices, before commission; some houses publish a premium-inclusive figure, and we do not adjust for condition. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher. How this figure is calculated.
Prices updated: July 2025
| Date | Price | Value GBP | Source | |
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| Jul 2025 | £162 | £130 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 385) Title: A Lancaster "The 1899 Instantograph" Half-Plate Camera
Description:
mahogany and brass construction, body VG, bellows appears G, with a Wray f/8 Platystigmat lens, barrel G, optics F-G with light haze, and a DDS plate |
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| Aug 2022 | £350 | £280 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors Sale (Lot 659) Title: A J. Lancaster & Son Instantograph 1888 Model Half Plate Field Camera
Description:
body G, ground glass in good condition, bellows G, some wear to corners, together with three wooden DDS, one marked Lancaster, (Qty: 1) |
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| Mar 2022 | £200 | £160 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: The Collectors sale (Lot 591) Title: A J. Lancaster & Sons 'The 1894 Instantograph Patent' Half Plate Mahogany Field Camera
Description:
with Wray W.A.R f/16 5" Waterhouse stop brass lens, serial no. 4404, body, G-VG, lens, G, some internal fungus |
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| Oct 2015 | £170 | £170 | 🇬🇧 Special Auction Services (archive) | |
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Auction: Camera & Photographica Equipment Auction Thursday 29th October 2015 at 11:00 (Lot 54) Title: An Early J. Lancaster Instantograph Mahogany Camera
Description:
An Early J. Lancaster Instantograph Mahogany Camera, 6x8", circa. 1880, with Ross 8x5" Doublet Waterhouse stop brass lens, serial no. 16912, body, G-VG, lacking locking nuts and ground glass screen, lens, G-VG, some light cleaning marks, with two DDS Estimate: £200 - £300 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is an early Lancaster Instantograph worth today?
Recent UK auction hammer results for early Instantograph examples sit between roughly £160 and £200, so a clean but unrestored body in 2026 is realistically valued in that range.
How much does a Lancaster Instantograph sell for at auction?
The two most recent UK saleroom records show prices of £162 and £200, giving a median near £180 before buyer's premium.
What affects the price of a Lancaster Instantograph?
Completeness is the main driver of value: original brass lens, dark slides, ground glass and case lift the price, while damaged bellows, missing fittings or warped wood pull it down.