Folding Montauk Style I

Gennert was founded by Gustav Gennert in the middle 1850s as a jobber of photographic supplies. In the 1870s, Anthony, Scovill, and Gennert dominated the United States photographic jobbing trade with Anthony being the largest, Scovill second, and Gennert a distant third. These three companies influenced the dry plate industry, each having struck a relationship with a producer of gelatin emulsions. Gennert acted as the sole agent for Cramer and Norden while Anthony worked with Eastman Dry Plate and Scovill with Keystone Dry Plate.

In 1894, Gennert started producing its own line of folding plate cameras advertised as "Montauk." The cameras appear very similar to the Rochester Optical Company's Premo and Poco folding cameras, but never attained great status.

The Folding Montauk, Style I was Gennert's top of the line folding plate camera. Models with improved lenses were advertised as "Gray Day" models. According to the 1899 catalog, it was available in standard sizes from 4x5 to 8x10. The 5x7 inch format sold for $40, or about $819 in year 2000 currency. Although a lesser name, it exhibits a fine fit and finish. This particular camera has a chamber to store double plate holders, maroon bellows, and a tilting rear standard.