Here’s another item that was in the box of artifacts I received from my dad last week:

Surprise! It’s a Folding Pocket Kodak, popular between 1914 and 1924!

In today’s dollars, this would set you back between $120-$160. Not inexpensive back in Emmett’s day. Source:digicamhistory.com

Source: digicamhistory.com

Here’s my camera, opened up, as in the illustration above:

That green is the reflection of the green cover on my cellphone as I took the photo, not a weird camera fungus. LOL!

The camera is in great shape. The little bellows slid out easily, without much effort. The shutter works fine. Nothing is stiff or broken; the leather strap across the top shows some wear, but for a camera that is 100 years old, it is in fine condition.

I think you can still get film for this — somewhere. I haven’t bought film in a long time, though, mostly because cameras have been digital in my house for years.

This camera was something I found at an estate sale in Ackerman, Mississippi about 30 years ago. I paid $5 for it; I remember showing it to my dad; and then about a year later, moved to Washington. My dad obviously took good care of it. I don’t think he even opened it up the entire time it was in my parent’s house.

I submit this artifact because photography was important to Emmett; so much so that he mentioned his photograph collection in his will.

He likely had one of these cameras, and took lots of photos of family and friends. I’d love to have some of his photos, if I can find them.

Categories: Family Interesting & Odd

Tagged as: Kodak 1A

jsmith532

Professor,
Communication, Arts, and the Humanities
The University of Maryland Global Campus