In a recent eBay auction a Graphic View was advertised and sold as Lee Wilshire's personal camera. I hate to admit it but I haven't the foggiest who Lee Wilshire is or was. Anyone have any ideas?

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-- Wayne Campbell (wtcamjr@aol.com), March 13, 2001

Answers

hmmm - i think he was an accountant from amarillo texas. or maybe he was the guy selling the camera on ebay... it wouldnt have said "lee witkin's" personal camera, would it?

-- jnorman (jnorman@teleport.com), March 13, 2001.

I think Lee Wilshire was a photographer active in the 1860s who made quite a reputation for himself shooting pictures of Civil War aircraft carriers.

Regards,

-- Doug Paramore (dougmary@alaweb.com), March 14, 2001.

I believe he had a studio on the Eastern side of a major Los Angeles thoroughfare.

-- Kevin Crisp (KRCrisp@aol.com), March 14, 2001.

Actually, Wilshire was a legendary "drop tester" for the Graphic View company. Quite the showman, he would drop Graphic View cameras from the roof of the 12-story company headquarters, after which he would scrape the camera off the pavement and prove to the assembled throng that the camera "Still Makes Pictures!" Supposedly those that could survive five drops and still function became his "personal cameras."

.,.,.,.,., .,.,.

-- Simon (simonfairfax@aol.com), March 14, 2001.

Gee whiz guys... Wayne asked a legitimate question and all you have done is post a bunch of demeaning answers.

Is that what you want this forum to become???

-- Dave Richhart (pritprat@erinet.com), March 14, 2001.

Just a late thought... I am really surprised at your answer Mr. Doug Paramour... You have added so much good information to this forum in the past... I am surprised by your attempt at humor.

Please remind me to disregard anything you post in the future!

-- Dave Richhart (pritprat@erinet.com), March 14, 2001.

I don't know why an attempt at humor or actual humor would be demeaning in this context. I see nothing demeaning in this thread. Many of the older threads had their share of jokes in them which I kind of enjoyed. Gives the people posting a little personality. Admittedly my joke was pretty obscure, you would have to know that Wilshire Boulevard was a major LA thoroughfare, then know that the East side of the street would be the "lee" side since the winds generally blow in off the ocean in Southern California. So it's really a bad pun. If Lee Wilshire was somebody's photographic role model, I apologize. I will try to be really, really serious in the future like 75% of the other people.

-- Kevin Crisp (KRCrisp@aol.com), March 14, 2001.

Wow! If only Lee Wilshire's camera had seen this much action we wouldn't be having this conversation. I have to say I come down on the side of the yuks. Laughs are few and far between on this site and we have four already on this one question. Keep 'em coming......

-- Wayne Campbell (wtcamjr@aol.com), March 14, 2001.

Dave, a sense of humor is a wonderful thing, it makes life a lot better. Just ask some of the "Brits".

-- Steve Clark (agno3@eesc.com), March 14, 2001.

Dave: Please feel free to disregard anything I write. Perhaps I misread the real meaning of this forum. I have always considered it a place where LF folks can come together, share information and ideas, and enjoy the interchange with other like-minded photographers. Much of the forum is serious questions, and serious attempts at providing our best opinions or calling on our own knowledge is offered. However, that doesn't mean that one has to leave his or her sense of humor when we enter the forum. My remarks, nor any of the others, were aimed at poking fun at Wayne Campbell, and he accepted it as such. Let's leave just a tiny space for a laugh on the forum. As long as I have been on the forum, I have never read where anyone attemped to mislead anyone seeking help on LF equipment.

Regards,

-- Doug Paramore (dougmary@alaweb.com), March 15, 2001.

Nicely put, Doug.

I’ve certainly posted my share of “wise guy” comments. I’ve been on the receiving end of a few, too. They were all in good humor, with no malice intended. You can only hope that everyone picks up on that.

Wayne, I don’t know what to tell you except that this is a bright, knowledgeable, supportive bunch of enthusiasts, and if an answer to your question had been forthcoming, you would have received it, humor or not. If someone is trying to be mean, hurtful or ignorant, there’s usually no question about it.

You’d be doing yourself a great disservice to ignore Doug’s posts.

As for Lee Wilshire, I’ve never heard of him either. A few cursory Web searches turned up zilch. Maybe he’s not famous at all, but just the cameras previous owner.

- Kevin

-- Kevin Bourque (skygzr@aol.com), March 15, 2001.

Oops.

I meant to address my previous comment to Dave, not Wayne. The points are still valid, though.

A thousand pardons (maybe I can get one from the President).......

-- Kevin Bourque (skygzr@aol.com), March 15, 2001.