Introduction to the Series
As the 20th century dawned, photography was undergoing a revolution. Cameras were becoming more affordable, more accessible, and more portable. The introduction of rollfilm made from cellulose nitrate played a major part in this. The introduction of Bakelite, the world’s first fully synthetic plastic, would eventually play a role in this transformation too. Durable, lightweight, and easily moulded, Bakelite offered manufacturers the ability to design stylish, affordable cameras for the ever growing amateur market. These innovations gathered pace in the latter half of the 1920’s when Leo Baekeland’s patents on Bakelite expired, enabling many more companies to set up as moulding powder suppliers and moulding specialists in an evolving and competitive industry.
This three-part series explores three Bakelite cameras from those post-patent years; the APeM Rajar No.6, the Kodak No.2 Hawkette, and the Soho Model B. Each of these cameras embraced Bakelite’s potential in different ways, from exciting new aesthetic designs, innovative features to bold colour choices, marking a shift away from the traditional metal and wood constructions of earlier decades. All of this was done on a budget too. We will also touch on the sales and marketing strategies used to promote these three models
In Part One, we examine the APeM Rajar No.6, probably the first folding camera to have a body completely moulded of Bakelite. Part Two explores the Kodak No.2 Hawkette, a British made Kodak and their first model made of Bakelite . Finally, Part Three highlights the Soho Model B, a striking maroon-coloured Bakelite camera whose form looked both to the past and towards the future.
The Bakelite folding strut 120 rollfilm camera was a uniquely British endeavour and a brief yet significant moment in camera history. Let’s start this series with the APeM Rajar No.6.
