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Sanderson Hand Camera

The Sanderson Hand Camera is a British wooden folding plate camera designed by Frederick Sanderson and produced from the late 1890s onward. It was marketed as a hand-holdable alternative to tripod-bound field cameras, with a patented front standard offering rise, fall, and swing movements unusual for a camera of its size and era.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for Sanderson Hand Cameras have spanned roughly £46 to £600, with a median of about £170 based on thirteen Christie's saleroom results — wholesale levels before buyer's premium and very different from dealer retail. Condition is the dominant variable today: examples with intact bellows, clean brass fittings and a working Sanderson movement sell for noticeably more than tired bodies, and a fitted period lens of known maker can push value toward the upper end of that range. Buyers asking what a Sanderson Hand Camera is worth in 2026 should anchor expectations to that £170 median rather than outlier results.

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Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Prices updated: February 2024

Date Price Source
Feb 2024 £150 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions
Jan 2021 £149 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions
Nov 2006 £84 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2006 £84 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 2006 £144 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 2006 £120 🇬🇧 Christie's
Feb 2006 £336 🇬🇧 Christie's
Feb 2006 £120 🇬🇧 Christie's
Feb 2006 £120 🇬🇧 Christie's
Sep 2005 £96 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 2005 £600 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2004 £382 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2003 £117 🇬🇧 Christie's
Sep 2003 £94 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 2003 £117 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 2003 £58 🇬🇧 Christie's
Mar 2003 £152 🇬🇧 Christie's
Dec 2002 £176 🇬🇧 Christie's
Dec 2002 £199 🇬🇧 Christie's
Dec 2002 £211 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2002 £141 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2002 £82 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2002 £152 🇬🇧 Christie's
Sep 2002 £188 🇬🇧 Christie's
Sep 2002 £82 🇬🇧 Christie's
Sep 2002 £164 🇬🇧 Christie's
Sep 2002 £528 🇬🇧 Christie's
Sep 2002 £176 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2002 £129 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2002 £117 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2002 £105 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 2002 £164 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2001 £293 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2001 £223 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2001 £152 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2001 £188 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2001 £188 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2001 £188 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2001 £152 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2001 £94 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2001 £493 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 2001 £411 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 2001 £211 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2000 £164 🇬🇧 Christie's
Nov 2000 £211 🇬🇧 Christie's
Aug 2000 £176 🇬🇧 Christie's
Aug 2000 £599 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2000 £235 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2000 £258 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 2000 £117 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 2000 £164 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 2000 £368 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 2000 £2,300 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 2000 £1,265 🇬🇧 Christie's
Oct 1999 £230 🇬🇧 Christie's
Oct 1999 £149 🇬🇧 Christie's
Sep 1999 £172 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jul 1999 £109 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 1999 £161 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 1999 £195 🇬🇧 Christie's
Mar 1999 £172 🇬🇧 Christie's
Mar 1999 £230 🇬🇧 Christie's
Mar 1999 £115 🇬🇧 Christie's
Mar 1999 £126 🇬🇧 Christie's
Mar 1999 £172 🇬🇧 Christie's
Feb 1999 £207 🇬🇧 Christie's
Feb 1999 £69 🇬🇧 Christie's
Feb 1999 £161 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 1999 £322 🇬🇧 Christie's
Aug 1998 £172 🇬🇧 Christie's
Aug 1998 £46 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 1998 £86 🇬🇧 Christie's
May 1998 £299 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 1998 £80 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 1998 £126 🇬🇧 Christie's
Jan 1998 £184 🇬🇧 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is a Sanderson Hand Camera worth?

Auction hammer results in the UK have mostly fallen between roughly £120 and £210, with a median near £170; tired or incomplete examples sell for under £70, while clean cameras with desirable period lenses have reached £600.

How much does a Sanderson Hand Camera sell for at auction?

Recorded Christie's hammer prices range from £46 to £600, so typical value sits in the middle hundreds of pounds for a complete, presentable example.

What affects the price of a Sanderson Hand Camera?

Condition of the bellows and woodwork, whether the Sanderson movements still function smoothly, and the quality and maker of any fitted lens and shutter are the main drivers; cosmetic completeness of the brass and leather also influences value.

Are Sanderson Hand Cameras still usable?

Yes — they accept standard glass plates or sheet-film holders of the original format and can be used with period or modern lenses mounted on compatible lens boards, provided the bellows are light-tight.

Other Sanderson cameras