The "British" Magazine Camera

The "British" (Miller's Patent) magazine camera, made by J.T. Chapman, with a Wray lens, c.1904.

J T Chapman Limited was established by Josiah Chapman as a medical and photographic chemist in Manchester in 1874, but gradually focused on the photographic side of the business. After an early emphasis on making photographic emulsions and plates, Chapman began offering his own designs of camera in 1883. These were initially made for them by other firms, but the company may later have had its own factory. Chapman marketed its own cameras until the early decades of the 20th century, but eventually focussed on retailing those produced by others.

Chapman offered a series of different designs under the name “British” Camera, but this particular example is a “British Magazine Hand Camera” produced around 1904, to a general design patented by T Miller. Pocket-sized and carrying a magazine of 12 photographic plates, it was well suited as a snapshot camera, a growing market at the time. It was offered with a range of different lenses, but this particular example is fitted with a Wray lens, which was the default option at £5 and 10 shillings.