Traduction de Sylvain Halgand.

To indicate this camera by the name of Darlot is perhaps an abuse, because only the lens bears this name. The room itself can be of very an other origin.
So the unit is difficult to date.
The inscriptions raised on the lens are:


Ancienne Maison Jamin,
Darlot Sr Optn Bté SGDG A. Darlot 26584
14 rue Chapon Paris




A thing astonishes me. There is a stopper on the lens, but with the back of this one!

Obituary (January 1, 1896)

The end of the past year has proven to be particularly cruel; death has struck three prominent figures in the world of photography in quick succession. After the brief notices we wanted to dedicate to Messrs. Guilleminot and Darlot, we must now recall the brilliant yet all too short career of Mr. Attout-Tailfer, whose almost sudden demise we have just learned of.

Mr. Guilleminot's life can be cited as an example for the younger generations to follow. He was an indefatigable worker and, at the same time, a shrewd and honest businessman. For all those who came into contact with him and recognized his worth, his name remained synonymous with commercial integrity. Therefore, we were delighted to applaud the flattering but entirely deserved distinction he received when, following the last Photography Exhibition, he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor.

Mr. Alphonse Darlot began as a laborer in the optics house of Lerebours and Secrétan; he later succeeded Jamin and dedicated himself to improving lenses and kits. The instruments produced in his workshops quickly gained considerable renown and are still highly regarded today. Mr. Darlot's expertise led to his appointment as a member of the Jury for the 1889 Exhibition. Meanwhile, he was appointed a member of the Municipal Council, of which he later became president. In recognition of his services to the photographic industry and his dedication to public affairs, Mr. Darlot was named Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in 1892.

Mr. Attout-Tailfer was the well-known manufacturer of isochromatic plates; he was the first French industrialist to provide operators with surfaces capable of accurately rendering tonal values. Mr. Attout-Tailfer was a distinguished artist, and his mentors were Gérôme and Couture. His activities were divided between the intelligent attention he gave to his industry and the exemplary devotion he brought to his official duties. He served as an administrator of the popular library and the school fund of the 5th arrondissement, then as a commissioner of the Charity Bureau. The votes of the electors of the Jardin des Plantes district led him to the Municipal Council, where he became the first secretary, and later to the General Council. His premature death cuts short a career that promised to be brilliantly fulfilled.