Unicum

Thank you both for the replies. I have found sites with information about replacing leatherette on vintage cameras like old Leicas and Rolleiflex cameras which look to be much easier to do as it does not fully cover the entire camera body but instead just parts of it using individual panels cut to shape. Sites I found about leather inlay include ones that replace, for example, a flat rectangular piece of leather on a desk or an inlay on a book. Perhaps what I am looking for does not fall under the category of leather working but something else. There is probably a name for it that was used back in the 19th century and early 20th but I just don’t know what it is called. I will continue to look for more information on the topic of inlays to see if there are techniques that would help. Thank you both again!

Hello, I am looking for information on leather wrapping. The application is an antique box camera about the size of a large shoe box. So far all the sites for leather working are on topics of hand bags, wallets, key chains, shoes, saddles, holsters and other such items. I have not been able to find any sites on how to wrap something in leather. It seems like what is involved is making a template to cut the shape of the leather and then using glue wrap the camera. I wouldn’t think it is too difficult a job and I would practice on box shaped items first before moving on to the camera. The one part that does seem to be something that takes a good deal of know how are joining the edges to make it look seamless. On some of my antique cameras I have looked with a magnifying glass to try and find the seam where the leather joins and can’t find it. Does wrapping an antique camera in leather fall under upholstery or is there a different term for this skill? I have attached a photo of the camera for reference. Thank you.

Thank you. I have been to Aileen’s site and have it bookmarked and have now saved the PDF file from Kodak. I do like the aged look of the camera. A camera, like a vintage car, can be restored over and over again but it’s only original once. Its condition tells a story. It has passed through the last 125+years and likely more than a few owners or maybe just a handful and has now made its way to me. What photos it took, where it has been and who owned it will forever be a mystery but its journey has left its physical marks on it. This, I believe, should be preserved.

I will try some mild soap, (on a small area first). Thank you. And so sorry to hear your cameras were stolen.

Thank you all for the information. I will leave the piece attached and re-glue the loose part. As for leather treatment should I leave it or is there something I could apply to it?

Hello, I have an antique camera made around 1897. It has a mahogany body that is wrapped in leather. I wish to re-secure a piece covering the bottom of the body that has partially separated. I have some photos showing this. The photos show the wooden camera body which is covered in leather. Most cameras of this time period used shellac to glue the leather to the body. As it can be seen the leather is thin and dried out. I plan to use shellac to re-glue the piece back in but feel that to do the best job the section should be removed in order to fully clean all the old glue before re-attaching it. I have read rubbing alcohol works well to break down the old shellac. Due to its age, being dried out and not knowing when or if this leather has ever been treated in the past I am guessing that it would be better to not only clean it first but also to try and rejuvenate it to hopefully restore some flexibility. This is why I am here. Searching the web turns up countless leather treatment products. I only have one go at this to get it right and not to make things worse so will only do this if I feel confident that the products and methods are the best for this situation. I also realize that this is a very old piece of leather and do not expect it to be like new. I just want to put it back best I can and preserve the look. I think it gives the camera more character when it shows its age. Thank you!

Yes, I can. I was not sure if this part of the board was for questions or just intros. The photos show the wooden camera body which is covered in leather. The section that is peeling away is on the bottom. Most cameras of this time period seem to have used shellac to glue the leather to the body. As it can be seen the leather is thin and dried out. I plan to use shellac to re-glue the piece back in but feel that to do the best job is to remove the section in order to fully remove all the old glue before re-attaching it. I have read rubbing alcohol works well to break down the old shellac. Due to its age, being dried out and not knowing when or if this leather has ever been treated in the past I am guessing that it would be better to not only clean it first but also to try and rejuvenate it to hopefully restore some flexibility. This is why I am here. Searching the web turns up countless leather treatment products. I only have one go at this to get it right and not to make things worse so will only do this if I feel confident that the products and methods are the best for this situation. I also realize that this is a very old piece of leather and do not expect it to be like new. I just want to put it back best I can and preserve the look. I think it gives the camera more character when it shows its age.

Greetings everyone my name is Graham. I have joined this group to learn about working with certain leather applications. I have a collection of antique cameras and most have the bodies wrapped in leather, and in some of them very old and dried out leather. I have no knowledge of how to properly clean, treat and care for old dried out leather so this is why I am here, to learn from those who have lots of experience. Thank you for letting me join up and I look forward to learning all about leather! The handle I have chosen, Unicum, was the name of a very common camera shutter made by Bausch and Lomb from the late 19th century into the 20th. Many camera manufacturers offered this shutter on their cameras.