Paterson patented his original design in 1948 and it was one of his first products on the market, along with a developing tray. The automatic film reel has changed little to this day, although Paterson has since upgraded the 'teeth' into a twin ball ratchet system to load the film.
At first, Paterson products were sold under R.F. Hunter of London, a well-known dealer of photography and projection equipment in the 1930s and 1940s. After around 20 years Paterson Products begin trading in its own name.
The Contact Printer shown here was advertised in 1954. Designed for amateur photographers of any age, this printer was designed to act as a compact darkroom.
In fantastic condition, our example comes intact, with its instruction brochure and original red box.
The brochure advertises mum, dad and son using home developing equipment then admiring the results in an album on the couch.
The body cavity contained a light bulb, hidden below the hinged, sponge pressure plate. The walls of the body are made from yellow plastic so that the printer would emit soft yellow light to work in the darkroom without damaging the printing process.
For printing, a mask is first set on the printing plate to create a border around the print, then the homemade film negative is positioned, with a piece of contact paper on top.
The operator pushed the pressure plate down and then pressed the yellow plastic exposure bar (in front of the plate) to slowly open a shutter and allow white light to expose the paper through the negative.
Other products were required to develop the print. First, a wash-through developer fluid brought out the image, then a quick rinse in water was submerged in an acid fixer before another water rinse and drying.
Paterson supplied these products for home developing as well as developing tanks, changing bags, measuring graduates, squeegees, washing tools and film enlargers. More recently, a range of tripods and studio lighting tools have given Paterson Photographic a wider market.
Sadly, Paterson died while trying to save a child from drowning in Inverness-shire, Scotland, in 1975. His legacy continues in his self-named business.
From its early days, the company specialised in making equipment for amateur photographers such as tools for developing photographs at home.
Despite huge changes in the photography business, with coloured and digital photography and the commercial production of prints, Paterson has survived by both adapting new products but also sticking to its core; a reliable source for passionate photographers keeping the tradition of darkroom photo development going.
Do you remember the days of 35mm film and those plastic film tanks rattling around in drawers?
• Georgia Kerby is exhibitions curator, Whangārei Museum at Kiwi North.
