Vest Pocket Kodak Autographic Camera: Trooper Thomas Henry Rathborne, 1 Light Horse Regiment, AIF

Rectangular shaped Kodak Vest Pocket model Autographic camera. It has rounded ends, a white metal alloy body and has been finished in black. The lens housing is mounted to a blackened white metal plate which is connected by a chromed brass lattice to a collapsible, black paper bellows. Much of the black paper has torn away, revealing brown cardboard. The shutter speed can be altered for clouds, marine view, average view, portrait, moving objects and shadow. There is a swivelling glass prismatic view finder that allows photographs to be taken in landscape or portrait format. At the rear of the camera is an attached, pressed and raised steel disk with an oval shaped, amber coloured viewing window fitted to the centre. Text has been impressed into this raised disc which reads 'U.S. PATENTS MAR 4 1902 MAY 6 1913' Fitted next to the disk is a raised, rectangular hinging panel that has been impressed with the text 'V P AUTOGRAPHIC KODAK SPECIAL'. This rectangular panel covers and protects a window which is designed to be scribed onto using the attached steel scribing tool. This process exposes the text onto the negative. Fitted to the underside of the camera is a spool winder and clasp to open and lock the camera body. An empty film spool is fitted to the inside of the camera.

This camera is associated with the service of 3608 Private (Trooper) Thomas Henry Rathborne who saw service with the 1st Australian Light Horse in Egypt, Palestine and Syria during 1917 and 1918. He returned to Australia on 14 March 1919.