Mother's First Camera

Before my family got bitten by the photography bug, they took pictures the way most Americans in the 1930s and 1940s did: with a folding camera that took roll film. This was my mother's first camera. I do not know how old it is, or when she got it. My guess would be 1936 at the time she went to Mexico. It is an Agfa-Ansco "Everset Traveler." Before World War II these two companies were linked. Ansco was forced away from Agfa after the war.
The camera uses still-available 120 roll film and yields 2 1/4 X 3 3/4 inch size pictures. The lens is an Antar of unknown aperture or focal length. The highly-sophisticated shutter has two speeds: "instant" and "Time." When you shift from instant to time a waterhouse stop moves into place to reduce the aperture. Otherwise there is no aperture control. Nor is there any ability to focus. With luck a user might get decent pictures in bright daylight. Otherwise one has to relie on the latitude of the film one chooses.
 Despite the primitive controls the camera is quite sturdy with a nice rigid bed that snaps into place and stays there. And I love the modish buckram coverage—far more durable than the usual leather.

The snap-on yellow filter is a Wollensak and would give a user a way to reduce exposure somewhat.

The family used this camera into the Mid-1950s. If you can obtain a copy of the August 1955 issue of National Geographic and you read the article on a journey across Canada, you will find a picture of several children standing in front of the parliament buildings in Ottawa. On the right, my brother is standing, holding this same camera.