Perken Optimus Detective
The Perken Optimus Detective is a late-Victorian British detective camera, a category of plate cameras designed to be used discreetly and disguised as everyday objects or plain boxes. It dates from the era when Perken, Son & Rayment of London supplied photographic apparatus to the British amateur and professional market.
Sales data for the Optimus Detective is extremely thin: a single UK auction hammer result from November 2016 sold for £600, and no further saleroom records are available to establish a current range or median in 2026. Because this is a wholesale auction figure rather than a retail price, dealer asking prices for a comparable example today would typically sit higher, and the value of any individual camera is highly condition-sensitive given its age.
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: March 2018
| Date | Price | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2018 | EUR 1,200 | Leitz Auction | |
|
Auction: Leitz Auction 32 (Lot AI_32_36112) Title: Perken, Son & Rayment Optimus Detective
Description:
rare tropical version, 1/4 plate mahogany box camera, external shutter and focus control, original red bellows, rotary shutter (working, but release missing), brass unmarked Rapid Rectilinear lens Estimate: EUR 1,200 - EUR 1,400 |
|||
|
Loading...
|
|||
| Nov 2016 | EUR 600 | Leitz Auction | |
|
Auction: Leitz Auction 30 (Lot AI_30_34546) Title: Perken, Son & Rayment Optimus Detective
Description:
rare tropical version, 1/4 plate mahogany box camera, external shutter and focus control, original red bellows, rotary shutter (working, but release missing), brass unmarked Rapid Rectilinear lens Estimate: EUR 1,200 - EUR 1,400 |
|||
|
Loading...
|
|||
Frequently asked questions
What is a Perken Optimus Detective worth today?
The only recorded UK auction sale in our data is £600 in 2016, so a precise current value is hard to fix; condition, completeness and originality will drive what an example sells for.
How much does a Perken Optimus Detective sell for at auction?
On the limited evidence available, one example achieved a £600 hammer price at UK auction, but with so few data points this should be treated as indicative rather than a reliable market price.
Is the Perken Optimus Detective a good collector's camera?
As a Victorian British detective camera from Perken, Son & Rayment it has clear historical interest to collectors of early plate cameras, but its value depends heavily on whether plate holders, lens and shutter are present and functional.