The Powell Stereoscopic Binocular Camera was discovered amongst other items that belonged to the vendor’s father in a garage in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.
It is believed to be more than 165 years old and was manufactured by Horne & Thornthwaite, a London optical and photographic instrument maker.
The camera, which dates back to 1858, was auctioned at Churchill Auctions in Thame and attracted strong interest, the auction house said.
The design of the camera was registered on December 27, 1858, and is one of only two known examples of the Powell Stereoscopic Binocular model to have appeared at auction.
The previous instance was in the 1970s, emphasising the rarity of the find for collectors.
A spokesperson for Churchill Auctions said: “For Churchill Auctions, finds such as this demonstrate why it is always worth taking a closer look at inherited possessions, old collections, and objects that may have been stored away and forgotten for many years.
“Garages, lofts, cupboards, and boxes can contain items whose significance and value may not be immediately apparent.
“Sometimes an object that has quietly remained in a family for decades can turn out to be an exceptionally rare survivor with collectors waiting to acquire it.”
The camera was part of a collection of vintage photographic equipment, which the owner, a long-standing customer of Churchill Auctions, brought to the auction house.
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The Powell Stereoscopic Binocular Camera (Image: Churchill Auctions)
It was among these items that the rare Powell camera was identified and subsequently researched.
The auction house’s investigation revealed the camera’s significance, leading to its sale.
The Churchill Auctions spokesperson added: “The item belonged to his father and has been sat there for years.
“As he moved multiple pieces of vintage camera equipment into the auction house, it was discovered in amongst those things!”
The camera’s hammer price of £18,000 is a substantial increase from a similar model sold by Christie’s in the 1980s, which fetched around £6,000.
Churchill Auctions in Thame offers professional valuations and auction advice for those who may have inherited collections or possess unusual objects.
The Powell Stereoscopic Binocular Camera was a rare early photographic camera developed around 1859-60 during the Victorian boom in stereoscopic photography.
Designed to capture two images simultaneously, it created the illusion of three-dimensional depth when viewed through a stereoscope.
The camera was manufactured by Horne & Thornthwaite of London and was available for both wet- and dry-collodion photographic processes.
Today, surviving examples are extremely scarce, making them highly prized by collectors and historians of photography
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