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Lancaster Instantograph

The Lancaster Instantograph is a late-Victorian British plate camera produced by J. Lancaster & Son of Birmingham. Built in mahogany and brass with a bellows and a simple lens-shutter arrangement, it was marketed in the 1880s and 1890s as an affordable field camera for amateur photographers of the period.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Lancaster Instantograph have sat in a fairly tight band of roughly £150–£220, with a median close to £180 across the Christie's results on file. The sample is small and the sales on record date back a number of years, so today's price a clean, complete example sells for can swing with condition of the bellows, brasswork and any original lens or plate holders; incomplete or tatty outfits are worth noticeably less than the range above.

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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 2026

Date Price Source
Jun 2026 £38 Flints Auctions
Dec 2024 £106 Flints Auctions
Nov 2022 EUR 850 Leitz Auction
Sep 2020 £140 David Duggleby
Sep 2005 £108 Christie's
Sep 2005 £180 Christie's
Sep 2005 £84 Christie's
Nov 2004 £262 Christie's
May 2003 £35 Christie's
Sep 2002 £164 Christie's
Jul 2002 £164 Christie's
Sep 2001 £223 Christie's
Jul 2001 £164 Christie's
Jul 2001 £258 Christie's
Jul 2001 £129 Christie's
Jul 2001 £129 Christie's
Sep 1999 £218 Christie's
Feb 1999 £149 Christie's
Jan 1999 £218 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Lancaster Instantograph worth today?

On the auction evidence available, a Lancaster Instantograph is typically worth around £150 to £220 at UK hammer, with a median value near £180 for a reasonably complete example.

How much does a Lancaster Instantograph sell for at auction?

Recorded Christie's hammer results range from about £149 to £218, so most examples sell for a price in that bracket rather than achieving a significant premium.

What affects the price of a Lancaster Instantograph?

Completeness and condition drive the value: an original lens, plate holders, intact bellows and sound woodwork push an example toward the upper end of the range, while missing parts or damaged bellows pull it below.

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