CameraWorth.com

Rouch Patent Portable Camera

The Rouch Patent Portable Camera is an early British-made plate camera, a compact folding design from the Victorian era of wet- and dry-plate photography. It was sold as a portable field instrument at a time when most cameras of its class were bulky studio or view instruments.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for a Rouch Patent Portable Camera have ranged from about £100 to £1,100, with a median near £260 based on the limited sales on record. As of today the market is thin and highly condition-sensitive: complete examples with original fittings have sold for several times what tired, incomplete bodies are worth, and with so few results available any single sale can shift what the camera is considered worth.

I have one to sell

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: December 2002

Date Price Source
Dec 2002 £1,057 Christie's
Nov 2002 £258 Christie's
Nov 1998 £103 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Rouch Patent Portable Camera worth today?

Based on UK auction hammer results, examples have sold for roughly £100 to £1,100, with a median around £260; condition and completeness largely determine where a given camera sits in that range.

How much does a Rouch Patent Portable Camera sell for at auction?

Recorded hammer prices range from about £103 for a basic example up to £1,057 for a more complete one, so the price you pay depends heavily on the specific camera offered.

Why do values for this camera vary so much?

With only a handful of recorded sales, each result has an outsized effect on the apparent market value, and differences in bellows condition, fittings and accompanying lens or plate holders can swing the price by a factor of ten.

Other Rouch cameras