Graflex.org

[jrvk44]

I have a Press Graflex, possibly an early one, and I cannot find
the serial number. Multiple complete camera searches have
found nothing. Can anyone give me advice on how to find it?

[Dan Fromm]

Have you looked inside the hood, at the top?

[Les]

On my Press Graflex it's just below the hinge on the short door--the door with the shutter speed table. And while I won't call mine exactly early it's got a 14,xxx number
_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

[jrvk44]

Have thoroughly checked these areas.
Thank you for these responses.

[Les]

Well if I were in your shoes, I'd use a flash light and search the area around the chimney, then do the same in the area around the lens. Be sure to check the the underside of the top of the lens area. If that doesn't find anything, then remove the viewing chimney and see if it's on the underside of the top behind the chimney.

I'm not saying I've seen S/N numbers in any of these places but I know many times they like to hide them (under cross braces on view cameras), but I've never seen them inside a body (where you have to remove the back) or under something semi-permanent.

Les
_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

[jrvk44]

I followed your advice Les and did another complete search.
I may have found a possibility. The front edge of the bottom
piece of the lens box (that the door rests against) has a
marred, worn, and slightly chipped area on the right side
that, using a fair bit of imagination may have parts of numbers
in the remaining surface. There is nothing readable.
Any advice in trying to define this area further would
be much appreciated
Thanks very much,
John Kelk
Ontario

[Les]

First I'd clean the area, then I'd try to photograph it. I have a pretty good macro lens on a (shh) digital camera and sometimes it's easier to play with the contrast of a photo than the actual object.

Prop the 'lens door' open and use a combination of on camera, off camera flash and even dental mirrors to reflect the light at a rakish angle to put some shadow in the grooves of the numbers.

next it would be filling time. You need a nice soft white crayon. Ironically i found Crayola's not to be that good. One of my daughter's cheap brands (no idea which one) was actually better at filling the letters of a film holder.

Another option is a furniture scratch stick. They make wax crayons to hide scratches in wood, these are softer than a kid's crayon and work well, but are more difficult to find. Don't confuse the crayons with lacquer sticks. Woodworker stores also sell lacquer sticks for the same job, but these are much harder.
_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

[jrvk44]

Followed suggestions . Careful cleaning of what I thought was a possibility
proved negative. I removed both large and small lens doors for cleaning and
more careful inspection. This also allowed a closer look around the lens.
I removed the lens to check around the frame. Rechecked the top
compartment, undoing things as suggested. Although unlikely rechecked
the rear compartment again. Also unlikely carefully checked all outer
surfaces. NO serial number. No areas of enough abrasion that it has been
lost that way.
I am wondering (1) if it was very lightly applied and had worn off over the
years, (2)if it is internal, or (3) there never was one.
I am going to the Toronto show next month and will take it and ask folks there.
Thanks again for help,
John

[Les]

I've never seen one inside before, but there a very few absolutes in the world of Graflex, so I won't count it out. As for options 1 &3, examples of both exist, so those are a possibility
_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison