The Shew Patent Eclipse is a British-made folding plate camera from the late Victorian era, built for dry-plate photography in a compact, collapsible wooden body. When new it was positioned as a portable field camera aimed at travelling and amateur photographers who wanted a lighter alternative to conventional plate cameras.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Shew Patent Eclipse have ranged from around £100 to £320, with the 2024 sale settling at £162 — a reasonable guide to what a presentable example is worth today. Results in this market are condition-sensitive: bellows integrity, completeness of the plate holders and the state of the mahogany and brass fittings drive how much a given camera sells for at saleroom level.