Founded by Thomas Henry Blair in 1878, producing tourograph cameras (a portable wet plate camera system) in collaboration with American Optical Company; orginally called the Blair Tourograph Company , name changed to Blair Tourograph & Dry Plate Co. in 1881 shortened to Blair Camera Company in 1886; built up a range of cameras, acquiring the Boston Camera Company in 1890; engaged in fierce compaetition with Eastman Kodak, but finally sold to Kodak in 1899; manufacturing moved to Rochester but Blair Cameras continued to operate independantly until 1907; cameras produced after this date as 'Blair Camera Division of Eastman Kodak'.