Sharing the legacy of an unreasonable camera collector.
My father was a collector.
And like any real collector he was not a reasonable man.
He was a man of many passions that he turned into vast collections. Being an engineer and passionate about history, most of his interest revolved around intricate technical devices that include chrome, small gears and moving parts (such as watches, mechanical calculators or typewriters).
Among all his collections, he dedicated most of his attention to his collection of vintage cameras.
As far as I remember, I have always seen him roaming antique shops around the world, trade fairs and flea markets to bring home all sorts of cameras from the early 1900s to the late 1980s.
His pleasure was spending his nights taking them apart and slowly bringing them back to life. I have rarely seen him happier than when he finally heard the “click” of a camera shutter that had been silent for several decades..
This devouring obsession drove him for over 50 years, leading him to acquire one of the most diverse and fascinating camera collections, spanning not only across decades but also across all types of technical innovations.
I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time with him when I was a kid (often carrying boxes with cameras he had just purchased or watching over his shoulder as he was fixing them, holding my breath to what felt like microsurgery). When I grew older, he patiently waited for my visits so he could take me to his lair after dinner and run me through his latest acquisitions. It’s a ritual we have been practicing for years.
My father passed away in 2020, leaving one of the world’s most complete collections counting over 2000 cameras, based mostly in Switzerland.
Picking up where my father left off.
I have decided to pick-up my father’s collection where he left it, but with a different approach. Where my father was going for very large numbers, I aim to create a collection with only 99 cameras but with the most iconic cameras of all times.
Building such an exclusive camera anthology is not an easy task, even when you start with an incredible collection such as my father’s. I launched the 99 Cameras Club to find other enthusiasts to help me.
Join the club, be part of the most iconic collection ever !
The Club members own shares of the project via membership cards and exclusive digital collectibles. Their investment goes to upgrading the collection, either by acquiring missing “crown jewels” or caring for the cameras that need to be tuned after a long existence.
The 99 Cameras Club aims to be a passionate community sharing in the most incredible camera collection project ever !