This was the first of four different models of the Balda Frontbox, all made in Dresden in the 1930s, a time when box cameras were extremely popular in Germany. This one came with a smart leather carry case, typical 1930s production.

I am a big fan of the various Balda box camera models. Their all-metal cameras often have appealing Art Deco influenced designs. They have bright viewfinders. Quality control may have been a little lax- some cameras of any given model might yield photos that are very sharp, other may have softer focus. Generally speaking I find them to be great cameras. The Front-Box has a choice of two aperture settings. At the smaller aperture the photos are typically quite sharp.

This camera has a simple meniscus lens. I took these photos in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The film is Fomapan 100, developed in Rodinal 1+50.