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Sanderson Field Camera (half plate)

The Sanderson Field Camera in half-plate format is a British wooden folding plate camera for large-format sheet negatives of approximately 4¾ × 6½ inches. Sanderson field and hand cameras were manufactured in the UK from the late 19th century and remained in use by studio and landscape photographers for decades after their introduction.

At recent UK auction, half-plate Sanderson field cameras have most often sold for between £90 and £200 hammer, with a median around £110–£160 across sales from 2023 to 2025. One outlier result of £1,025 in 2023 shows that an exceptional example with the right accessories can sell for several times the typical price, but as of today most bodies are worth closer to the lower end of that range in the saleroom. Condition of the bellows, woodwork and original lens boards heavily influences what a given camera sells for.

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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: November 2025

Date Price Source
Nov 2025 £100 Special Auction Services
Mar 2025 £113 Chiswick Auctions
Mar 2025 £113 Chiswick Auctions
Oct 2024 £140 Special Auction Services
Oct 2024 £120 Special Auction Services
Sep 2024 £138 Flints Auctions
Feb 2024 £175 Flints Auctions
Jan 2024 £200 Flints Auctions
Dec 2023 £90 Special Auction Services
May 2023 £1,025 Flints Auctions
Nov 2022 £1,025 Flints Auctions
Apr 2019 £504 Flints Auctions
Nov 2018 £504 Flints Auctions
Nov 2018 £228 Flints Auctions
Oct 2017 £204 Flints Auctions
Nov 2005 £156 Christie's
Nov 2004 £179 Christie's
Nov 2003 £164 Christie's
Sep 2003 £129 Christie's
Nov 2002 £164 Christie's
Nov 2002 £164 Christie's
Jul 2001 £164 Christie's
Jul 2001 £705 Christie's
Jul 2000 £188 Christie's
Sep 1999 £276 Christie's
Mar 1999 £195 Christie's
Jan 1999 £195 Christie's
Aug 1998 £207 Christie's
Jul 1998 £195 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Sanderson Field Camera (half plate) worth today?

Most half-plate Sanderson field cameras sell for roughly £90 to £200 at UK auction, with a median hammer price of about £110–£160 based on recent sales.

How much does a Sanderson half-plate field camera sell for at auction?

Typical hammer prices are in the £90–£200 range, though an exceptional complete example sold for £1,025 in 2023.

What affects the price of a Sanderson field camera?

Completeness is the main driver of value: cameras retaining their original lens, plate holders and ground-glass screen, with sound bellows and woodwork, consistently achieve stronger prices than stripped or damaged bodies.

Are Sanderson field cameras still usable?

Yes, a sound example with light-tight bellows and a working shutter can still be used with half-plate film or cut-down sheet film, which is part of why clean examples retain collector and user demand.

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