- Charles Frank Ltd
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Charles Frank Ltd Type Optical & Scientific Instrument Maker Industry Scientific Instruments Founded Glasgow, Scotland (ca 1915) Headquarters 67 Saltmarket Glasgow, Scotland Key people Charles Frank, (Founder)
Arthur Frank (Son)Products Precision binoculars, telescopess, microsocopes, cameras and other optical equipment. Charles Frank Ltd (ca1915 — 1974) was an optical and scientific instrument maker in Glasgow, Scotland.
Contents
Foundation
Charles Frank Ltd was formed in circa 1907 when Charles Frank a Lithuanian immigrant to Glasgow opened a shop at 67, Saltmarket[1] for the design, sale and repair of photographic and scientific apparatus.
Over the following half century it was to become one of the best-known photographic centers in the city and a byword for excellence in cameras and watches.[2]
Expansion
At some later stage the business expanded into a second premises located in the Glasgow town centre at Ingram Street. This became a more upmarket showroom for the sale of his scientific instruments.
Wartime production 1939-45
During the second world war Charles Frank Ltd focused on the manufacture of navigational instruments and binoculars for the British war effort.
Post-war prosperity
The post war boom in consumer spending coincided in a growth in interest particularly in Astronomy. The business boomed through the 1950s and early 1960s.
At the end of the war the market was flooded with high quality ex-military optical and photographic equipment. Charles Frank Ltd took advantage of this ready supply by buying these goods at public auctions held when no longer needed by the military and reselling them to the public.
Throughout Charles Frank Ltd maintained their strong reputation for quality.
Decline and closure
In the ten years from the middle of the 1960s the company was undercut by new entrants into the marketplace. Despite this the company was determined to continue to uphold its reputation as a quality manufacturer. Unfortunately Charles Frank Ltd lost market share and in the poor economic climate of the 1970s Britain finally ceased trading in 1974.
Legacy
Instruments manufactured by Charles Frank Ltd are still in daily use today and regularly appear on the second hand market.
Two books on astronomy published by the company have been the launchpad for many amateur and professional science careers.
Charles Frank today
While the original Charles Frank Ltd has ceased trading the rights to the name were acquired by former staff after the business was sold off. Charles Frank Ltd now trades from 101 Rose Street Edinburgh and specialises in retail and wholesale Binoculars and Telescopes. They no longer manufacture their own instruments.
References
- ^ A Photograph can be seen at The Life of Hannah Frank
- ^ Quotation from The Herald Newspaper: Hannah Frank Obituary, 2008
See also
Categories:- Lens manufacturers
- Defunct manufacturing companies of the United Kingdom
- Photography companies of the United Kingdom
- Optics manufacturing companies
- Photography in Britain
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