The Zeiss Ikon Box-Tengor 54 was a German made 120 roll film camera for 16 frames, 4.5 x 6cm. The humble box camera - we've all had them, however Zeiss tended to make a little more effort to differentiate their products from the sea of others and as box cameras go, this is a little gem. With limited controls for focus (supplementary lens rotates into place), aperture (waterhouse stops f/11 & 22), brilliant viewfinders and a socket for a cable release, it's a wonderful, honest little thing. Construction is of thin pressed and folded steel sheet spot welded or held together with folded tabs. The finish on this model is black paint on the exposed metal parts and the covering is a man made material made to look like leather. The name 'Box-Tengor' was applied to host of cameras from the mid 1920s until 1956, mostly in the 6 x 9cm format, but some using 127 and even 116 roll film. Construction and styling varied markedly between them. This example was donated to the collection in 1990.

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Body No. One of thousands!
Shutter, over centre sector shutter, (B, T & I, where I = instant or 25th sec. or so), there is a silvered secondary shutter in front of the sector shutter that swings out of the way as the shutter is energized, its function is to prevent a double exposure as the shutter returns to the start point.
Lens, two element f/11 Frontar achromat in front of the shutter blade.
Condition, 6F

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