Ross Sutton Panorama Camera
The Ross Sutton Panorama Camera is a 19th-century wet-plate panoramic camera, built around Thomas Sutton's patented water-filled spherical lens to capture a wide field of view on curved glass plates. It is a collector-grade instrument from the early era of British photographic manufacturing, scarce in any condition and rarely encountered outside major auctions.
Auction evidence for this model is extremely thin: the only recorded UK saleroom result is a Christie's hammer price of £33,600 in 2006, which sets the sole reference point for what a Sutton Panorama is worth at wholesale auction level. Values today depend heavily on completeness, provenance and the presence of the original Sutton lens, and any fresh appearance in the auction market would be priced against that 2006 benchmark rather than a deep comparables set. Buyers asking how much one sells for should treat the figure as indicative of a single, exceptional sale rather than a stable market price.
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: May 2006
| Date | Price | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2006 | £33,600 | Christie's | |
|
Auction: Cameras, Magic Lanterns and Photographs (Lot 306) Title: Sutton panoramic camera
Description:
Sutton panoramic camera Estimate: £12,000 - £18,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Ross Sutton Panorama Camera worth today?
The single recorded UK auction hammer price is £33,600 (Christie's, 2006), so any current value estimate has to be anchored to that result and adjusted for condition and completeness.
How much does a Sutton Panorama Camera sell for at auction?
With only one verified sale on record, the price achieved was £33,600 at hammer; further examples would need to be assessed individually rather than against a typical range.
Why is the price so high compared to other 19th-century cameras?
The Sutton water-lens panoramic design was produced in very small numbers by Ross of London, and surviving complete examples almost never reach the open market, which concentrates demand among institutional and top-tier private collectors.