Mendel Chambre a Joues
The Mendel Chambre à Joues is a wooden plate camera, a body style associated with late 19th and early 20th century French photographic equipment. It is a specialist collector item rather than a working user camera, and surfaces only rarely on the open market.
With just a single recorded UK auction hammer result of £10,525 from 2002, there is no meaningful price range to quote — that figure represents a wholesale saleroom outcome and not a retail asking price. Today, in 2026, anyone wanting to know what a Mendel Chambre à Joues is worth should treat this lone data point as indicative only, since condition, completeness and competing bidders on the day will dictate what the next example sells for.
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 2002
| Date | Price | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 2002 | EUR 10,525 | Leitz Auction | |
|
Auction: Leitz Auction 1 (Lot AI_1_21117) Title: FRANZÖSISCHE BOX Kamera
Description:
9x9cm, walnut body of dovetail construction, brass carrying handle and plaque engraved "APPAREILS PHOTOGRAPHIQUES CH MENDEL PARIS 118 & 118 BIS, RUE D'ASSAS", with a brass bound fixed focus lens. Note: The camera lens is notched because when the lens was made they were unsure of the focal length, the notch was drilled after manufacture once the correct focal length was calculated, the lens was then fixed into position, camera in excellent condition |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Mendel Chambre à Joues worth today?
The only recorded UK auction sale, in November 2002, achieved a hammer price of £10,525, but with just one data point the current value is best established by consigning to a specialist saleroom rather than relying on a fixed figure.
How much does a Mendel Chambre à Joues sell for at auction?
Public sales are extremely scarce; the single verified result we hold is £10,525 at hammer, which places it firmly in the high-end collector bracket rather than the general user-camera market.
Why is the price so high compared with ordinary plate cameras?
Rarity and collector demand drive the value — examples almost never appear, so when one does surface, competitive bidding among specialist collectors sets the price well above that of common wooden plate cameras.