Taylor-Hobson / Cooke Lenses

NB: This is a draft (incomplete) article. If you have any in-depth information, or original manufacturer manuals, catalogues or period advertisements that might be relevant, please email Mark here. Peer review and contributors welcome, and will be credited. Similarly, if you have any memorable images shot with these lenses, we’re happy to show them in our gallery with a link to your social media or website.

SERIAL NUMBERS

PRODUCTION DATE	Early Serial #	Late Serial #
1896	23	c.5,000
1897	5,566
1906	16,420	16,450
1909	22,519
1911	29,446
1915	51,178
1916	70,335
1917	71,565
1918	78,859	80,167
1919-1920	86,658
1921	104,587
1922	106.602
1924	114,738	122,831
1925	125.199
1926-1927	160,120
1927-1933	c.160,000	221,722
1933-1939	c.221,800	c.279,700
1939-1945 (military production outside main sequence under separate serial numbering system associated with English National Optical Co, Leicester)
1946 (Deep Field Panchro)	279,800
1947 (first Amotal)	298,690
1947-1950	300,540	384,391
1951	386,936	390,395
1952	458,392
1953	458,378
1954-1955	470,382	474,899
1956 (Rank Precision Industries)	516,882
1960	562,153
1962	579,604
1962-1965	580,000	620,000
1965 – Ental II still in production . . .	620,000	700,000
After 1971	705,305
After 1975	775,996
After 1981	787,521
After 1983	788,501
After 1987	788,649

Taylor Hobson (1914-1918)

Cooke Aviar

Taylor Hobson and the National Optical Company (1934-1945)

In 1934, Taylor, Taylor & Hobson Ltd operated a Leicester-based subsidiary known as The National Optical Company for production of their second-tier ‘-nol’ lenses (distinguished from their premier ‘-tal’ models). By the outbreak of war in 1939, this facility, and much of their output, was dedicated to supplying various branches of the military. In the UK, military-contracted lenses were marked ‘W↑D’ (War Department). However, Taylor Hobson’s biggest wartime customer was the Air Ministry – formed in 1918. Air Ministry lenses are marked AM 14A, followed by a part number: ie AM 14A/780. Taylor Hobson supplied Anastigmats of their own design, and also in this period the Pentac lens patented by Dallmeyer – sharing production of the five-element 8-inch f2.9 reconnaissance lens: a somewhat inferior alternative to Kodak’s Aero Ektars.

As mentioned above, Taylor-Hobson’s serials mainly divert into a new sequence in around 1939, to which they returned in peacetime. These are often seen with a zero prefix: ie, 08791 and 025880. National Optical Company lenses were usually branded ‘N.O.C’. Additionally, some Air Ministry-contracted lenses made by Taylor-Hobson (perhaps originating from the main production facility, or (given the lateness of the serials), perhaps only post-war examples) were given ‘TT’ prefixes, and numbers in the main sequence (typically c.250,000-280,000). Unlike Dallmeyer, Taylor-Hobson lenses typically prefix the serial number with ‘No.’

The following Air Ministry lens samples have been observed:

AIR MINISTRY LENSES	Serial #	Air Ministry Contract
NOC-Era Serials
Pentac 8-inch f/2.9	No.08791
Pentac 8-inch f/2.9	No.012763-026791	all 14A/780
Trinol Anastigmat 105mm f3.5 (recoated in 1956)	No.034609
12-inch f4 (Taylor Taylor & Hobson, not NOC)	No.557524
TT Prefix Serials
Anastigmat 20 inch f5.6 Aviar	TT248911	14A/2271
Anastigmat 14-inch f5.6-16	TT286956	14A/3254

After 1910 “By H.D. Taylor’s Patents” was no longer engraved on the lenses.

By 1926, the 2.5 inch, Series VIIb was no longer made and by 1956, the 8 inch version was dropped.

The Series VII never appeared after 1910 (but in 1909 catalogue).

Series VIa after 1930 (until c.1947).

Series VI f5.6 from 1908 – c.1930

By c.1915, the 4.25, 5, 5.5, 6, 7.5 and 9 inch Series V f8 Process lenses were no longer being made but the 11, 13, 16, 18, 25 (f/10), 30 (f/16) and 36 (f/16) focal lengths were available.  About 1921, only the 11, 13, 16, 18 and 25 (f/10) were offered.

Series IV f5.6: From 1908 through c.1921, the Series IV, f/5.6 was offered in eight focal lengths from 5 through 18 inch.  By c.1924, it was limited to 8, 15.5 and 18 inch focal lengths. By the end of 1926, the Series IV 15.5 inch lens was discontinued.

Latest Ental serial: 584576 (50mm) / Earliest Ental II serial (82mm): 588835. If changeover late 1960 ‘according to sales leaflet’ VM . . . ?

Taylor-Hobson Projection Lenses

Taylor-Hobson (née Taylor, Taylor & Hobson) are of course best known for the cine (ie cine capture) lenses. The company dominated the world of such cine lenses betwen 1920 and 1950 and its reputation rests on the legacy and evolution of the enduring ‘Cooke Look’ and genuinely iconic lenses like the OPIC’s and Speed Panchro’s. Tempting though that subject is, it is a story frequently told and easily found. I hope it’s some consolation as we plough through the following material that, though Taylor-Hobson’s projector and enlarger lenses are less famous, many contain the same pixie-dust (ie, formulas, glass and coatings) as their monstrously more expensive stablemates. Sssh! Don’t tell anyone – the Cooke Look is available on eBay for the price of a developed roll of film . . .

8/16mm Slides & Cine

Supertal 1.5″ f1.9 / 2″ f1.6 /

Hypertal

16mm Projection series

Varotal

Kinetal (1955)

35mm Slides & Cine

Ultimum

Maximum 114mm f2.4 /

Special

Vutal 70/1.8

For Evans Universal

Aperful 120/1.9

Reverse-Ernostar derivative > Pullin / Kershaw

Taylor Hobson Enlarger/Process Lenses

Change from Taylor, Taylor & Hobson to Taylor-Hobson to Rank Taylor Hobson. For full details of the Rank timeline see article

Ental

Ental II

Butal

Rank Xerox process lenses

Super Comat 1 inch f1.9?

Taylor Hobson Copying 6in f2.8