What’s this ?

[team tractor]

This is in my sister in laws loft and they’ve asked me what it is . 
I think a microscope possibly looking at a lens. 
Just wondering if you lot can help me ? What’s it Worth too? 

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, looks like an old photographic enlarger

4 minutes ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, looks like an old photographic enlarger

can you read any info on the lens ? there should be a light in the sphere , and the bellows are to get the print clear before you press a shutter or timer, i used a similar design when i printed black and white photos

Edited December 22, 2023 by oldypigeonpopper

[Pushkin]

I think it is an old Zenith photo negative enlarger and print maker. Light from domed head shines down through the negative carrier which sits above the lens, this shows onto the print area below the lens and when you are happy with the image you put all lights off except for your red print light, place a piece of print paper in the frame and then expose the print via the dome light for a set time ,you can then develop the pictures (black and white) in the appropriate developing trays and rinse off when you are happy with the result.  I think!!!  Been a while since I last did one. Pushkin

Edited December 22, 2023 by Pushkin

[Kalahari]

Certainly an enlarger.Might be a Gnome. There were a few with the domed lam housing though.

 

David.

[Gordon R]

Google images suggest a Gnome photo enlarger - about £35 on the bay.

[amateur]

As everybody else has said, a photographic enlarger, from the days when you could develop and print your black and white photos at home.

You inserted the camera film into a drum (working blind in a black bag if you didn't have a darkroom), added the developer and fixer, removed the negative and hung it up to dry.

When they were dry, working in a dark room with a red light, you put them into the enlarger, set it to the size of photo you wanted and focussed it, put your photo paper on to the plate, switched on the enlarger light to transfer the negative to the paper, put the paper into a tray of developer until an image revealed itself (always exciting) and then fixed the print in a tray of fixer and hung the prints up to dry.

If your mum walked in at any stage of the process, she would ruin the photo!

At least, that's how I remember it from about 60 years ago.

Makes pointing a phone and keeping the result in the cloud seem easy.

[ditchman]

bloody difficult to do a selfi 

[Westley]

Is it a disguised whisky still  ?

[enfieldspares]

I think a photograph enlarger. The negative goes in the clip between the lense and the bulb (which holds a light bulb) and the paper you are exposing goes at the very bottom of the whole thing. You then adjust the size of the image by raising or lowering the bulb lense and clip and when the right size turn off the lights, put the photograpic paper in place and turn on the bulb in the device to make the exposure.

[DUNKS]

Tiz as they say. Cant see anyone wanting the enlarger itself there are better ones around for pennies 

BUT depending on which it is the lens could be worth quite a bit and they do sell well. Read what it says on it and look for fungus and clouding.. It will just unscrew! 

[oldypigeonpopper]

8 hours ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, looks like an old photographic enlarger

can you read any info on the lens ? there should be a light in the sphere , and the bellows are to get the print clear before you press a shutter or timer, i used a similar design when i printed black and white photos

hello, i looked through various web sites and the one nearest was an old Gnome enlarger with a 3 screw Achromat lens,

[Bigbob]

Turn it into a micro brewery 

[ditchman]

you could make it into an enema machine............all the rage now...so im told

[Bigbob]

51 minutes ago, ditchman said:

you could make it into an enema machine............all the rage now...so im told

Take your word for it LOL 

[Dougy]

When referring to enlarger TT it only works of photographic images. 

So it's no good for your little bits. 😕 

 

I've used the bellow type decade's ago but not seen that type before. 

[JKD]

In true 'upcycling style', that needs to be turned into a lamp 😁

[team tractor]

On 23/12/2023 at 09:13, Dougy said:

When referring to enlarger TT it only works of photographic images. 

So it's no good for your little bits. 😕 

 

I've used the bellow type decade's ago but not seen that type before. 

You could have told me sooner. currently stuck in the loft in a funny position. Send help 🙈