This is What Camera Shops Looked Like a Century Ago

Sep 15, 2012

Michael Zhang

Check out this photo showing the inside of a camera shop (and pharmacy) from 1910. It’s the image on a postcard that’s currently being auctioned over on eBay (with a starting bid of $100) by a seller named 2raccoons.

Here’s the description:

Up for auction is this extraordinary photograph of a woman in standard Gibson dress standing at a store counter purchasing a Kodak folding camera. The store employee is wearing a jacket and bow-tie which adds charm to the photograph. It is uncertain if the woman is actually buying the Kodak camera, or if the scene here is “staged,” but $25 is about what one would have paid for the Kodak folding camera at that time, which can be seen on the cash register.

$25 for a top-of-the-line camera. Not bad. Add a couple zeros to that price and you’ll get what many DSLRs are selling for these days.

Here’s a crop that provides a closer look at what’s going on:

In the image, we see two shelves with Kodak cameras on display, a Kodak sign in the background, a photo album for sale, a standing postcard rack with photo postcards, and various films and photo supplies on the shelves.

If you’re a serious collector for photo history items, head on over to the eBay auction to place your bid!