ZANE GREY (AMERICAN, 1872-1939) OWNED FOLMER GRAFLEX PRE ANNIVERSARY SPEED GRAPHIC CAMERA, black exterior hardware and painted/black-oxidized brass components, horizontal Graphic back accepting 4" x 5" film currently with a hinged-flap focusing hood, camera serial number 230072, equipped with a Carl Zeiss Jena "Tessar" f:13.5cm lens in Compur shutter, installed with a folding optical finder and a Kalart synchronized rangefinder. Owned and used extensively by famous fisherman/big game sportsman/Western writer Zane Grey between 1920 and 1939. Camera produced 1928-1939, according to a previous owner it is the 1930 model. 6 1/2" x 3 1/2" x 7 1/4" case (disregarding finder and attachments).
Catalogue Note: The camera is accompanied by a photocopy of a typewritten letter from Dr. Loren Z. Grey (son of Zane Grey) attesting to its provenance as part of a 1979 sale of several cameras to a Dr. Arthur J. Marion, and excerpts from a copy of Loren Grey's 1985 book Zane Grey: A Photographic Odyssey which discusses some of his and his father's extensive travels with this camera and two other cameras, also in this sale. Dr. Grey and Dr. Marion, for some time, worked together as Associate Professors of Education at California State University, Northridge.

Excellent visual condition with less than average wear to body and case, mostly limited to some cosmetic losses of leather or paint in some areas, but with light-to-moderate corrosion/rust to some metal components, primarily the finder and the side-handle attachments; mechanical parts each appear to operate relatively smoothly including curtain/shutter, bellows seems to operate excellently, camera has not been tested for functionality (see Catalogue Guarantee).