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Sands & Hunter Tailboard Camera

The Sands & Hunter Tailboard Camera is a 19th-century British plate camera of the tailboard type, named for its hinged rear board that drops down to allow the bellows to extend for focusing. Sands & Hunter was a London photographic supplier active in the late Victorian era, and tailboard cameras of this kind were used with glass plates for studio and field work.

With only two recorded UK auction hammer results, both at £262, the available data points to a narrow wholesale band rather than a reliable median; clean, complete examples with original bellows and plate holders tend to anchor the upper end of that figure. As of today in 2026, what a Sands & Hunter Tailboard Camera is worth at saleroom level depends heavily on completeness, bellows condition, and whether period lenses or plate holders are included. Buyers asking how much one sells for should treat £262 as indicative rather than definitive given the thin sample.

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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.

Date Price Source
Feb 2022 £262 Flints Auctions
Nov 2019 EUR 300 Leitz Auction
Oct 2017 £168 Flints Auctions
Nov 2011 EUR 240 Leitz Auction
Feb 2004 £262 Christie's
Mar 1998 £57 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Sands & Hunter Tailboard Camera worth?

Recorded UK auction hammer prices sit at £262, though with only two data points this should be read as a guide rather than a firm market value.

How much does a Sands & Hunter Tailboard Camera sell for at auction?

Both tracked UK saleroom results closed at £262, suggesting that complete, presentable examples trade in that region before commission.

What affects the price of a Sands & Hunter tailboard camera?

Bellows integrity, presence of the original lens and plate holders, and overall cosmetic condition are the main factors driving value.

Is the Sands & Hunter Tailboard Camera usable today?

With sound bellows and a working shutter or lens cap technique, these plate cameras can still be used with cut film or wet-plate adapters, though most change hands as collector or display pieces.

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