Lucky Flea Market Find Lands the Polaroid Model 95b
You never know what you will find at a flea market. Most of the time I go just for a leisurely stroll outdoors. Then there are those rare occasions when you spot something on a vendor’s table that stops you in your tracks.
Last week that is exactly what happened to me. There it was, the Polaroid Land Camera. Named after the Polaroid’s CEO and co-founder Edwin Land, the camera was nicknamed The Speedliner.
The camera was nestled in a leather case. Included with the camera was a flash, a light meter, instruction manuals, and…and a role of film. After briefly haggling with the vendor, I am now a proud owner of a beautiful piece of photographic history.
A Dash of History
The Land Camera Model 95 was in production from 1948-1953, made by Polaroid which was incorporated in 1937. The idea of “instant” photography was a question posed by Edwin Land’s daughter when she asked why she couldn’t see the picture of her he just took right away. That same day, Edwin claimed to come up with a design for the camera, including the film, paper, and chemistry needed to answer her question.
After three years of development, the Land Camera Model 95 was born in 1948, totally revolutionizing the consumer photography landscape. It shortened the time from shutter snap to print into just a couple of minutes instead of waiting to have a lab develop your film and prints. The original model did the processing in camera, and gave you both a negative, and a positive print. There were about 1.5 million Model 95s made, bringing instant photography to a new group of photography enthusiasts.
While inspecting the camera, there was a nifty surprise waiting for me. I opened the back, and there was film still in the camera, and an exposed image that never saw the light of day.
I’m pretty sure I won’t be lugging this beast around taking pictures, although it would be rather fun setting up a shot with it amidst a gaggle of modern day photographers. At the very least, it will start a dozen conversations, easy.
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