Camerapedia
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It was believed that Plavic was French brand camera bodies both for the lens and shutters, but this is not exactly true. The traces of Plavic are in the catalog of Photo-Plait 1919. The actual name of the manufacturer is Planchon Cellulose Corporation in Lyon. Their production is limited with the cellulose films and maybe printing papers and photographic chemicals. The problem with Plavic is that this brand has never made cameras. The cameras named Plavic was made by other manufacturers and Plavic added cameras to their catalog. It seems that they are very few and have been circulated before or around 1930s.

The short history of the firm as to McKeown's : "The company was founded by Victor Planchon, Boulogne & Lyon, France. Hirlemann & Moreau (later Héard & Mallinjod) made a 6x9cm and 9x12cm folding plate cameras in c.1920-28 under the Hemax label. After those dates some Hémax cameras are found under the PLAVIC label (PLAnchon VICtor). Victor Planchon collaborated with the Lumiere brothers in fabricating the first films for the Cinematographe in Boulogne-sur-mer and later in Lyon. He became director of the Lumiere factory in the Lyon suburb of Feysin where he made and distributed films with Lumiere emulsions under the name Plavic. For some time, he also sold Plavic cameras in 9x12cm, 6x9cm sizes, before these became Lumiere cameras." [1]

The company, which operated from 1919 to about 1930, [2] used the brand names of Plavic for its films and cameras, usually manufactured by Héard & Mallinjod and Plavicos for its shutters, usually manufactured by Gitzo AFAIK, There is no information about the manufacturers of the Plavic marked lenses.

Cameras[]

Plate Cameras[]

  • Plavic 6.5x9 plate folding bed
  • Plavic 9x12 plate folding bed, manufactured by Héard & Mallinjod

Rollfilm cameras[]

  • Série A30 ( 6x9)
  • Série B
  • Série C
  • Série E
  • Plavic folder E38
  • Plavico box
  • Plavic Passe Partout 5x7.5 folder
  • Plavic Pliant IB
  • Plavic Pliant 6.5x11 116 roll film folder
  • Plavic Pliant 6x9 roll film folder


Links[]


Notes & References[]

  1. McKeown's Cameras 2006, p.786
  2. Catalogue Photo-Plait 1919
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