CameraWorth.com

Perken Tailboard camera

The Perken Tailboard camera is a British-made wood-and-brass plate camera of the tailboard pattern, built for studio and field use with sheet-film or plate holders. Perken (of Perken, Son & Rayment / Perken, Son & Co., London) produced tailboard instruments during the late-Victorian and Edwardian era, positioning them as general-purpose professional plate cameras of the period.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Perken Tailboard have sat in a wide band from around £76 to £220, with a median near £190 based on the limited sales on record. Condition drives value heavily in 2026: the 2024 Chiswick result of £76 reflects a rougher example, while clean bellows and intact brass fittings are what pushed earlier Christie's lots toward the top of the range. These figures are saleroom hammer results and exclude buyer's and seller's commission, so the gross cost to a buyer sits above what is printed here.

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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: August 2024

Date Price Source
Aug 2024 £76 Chiswick Auctions
Oct 2022 £225 Flints Auctions
Oct 2017 £96 Flints Auctions
Sep 2005 £144 Christie's
Feb 2002 £223 Christie's
Aug 2000 £188 Christie's
Sep 1999 £115 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Perken Tailboard camera worth today?

Based on UK auction hammer results, a Perken Tailboard typically sells for somewhere between £76 and £220, with the median value around £190 for a complete example.

How much does a Perken Tailboard camera sell for at auction?

Recent saleroom prices range from £76 for a tired example in 2024 up to £223 achieved at Christie's, so the price a given camera fetches depends mainly on bellows condition and completeness of the original fittings.

What drives the value of a Perken Tailboard?

Intact light-tight bellows, a working focusing rack, original brass fittings, and a period-correct Perken lens and shutter all push the price toward the upper end of the range.

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