In February 1900 the
Eastman Kodak company of Rochester, N.Y., introduced the
Brownie camera, invented by and named after Frank A. Brownell, for the price of $1. The basic box camera made of cardboard covered with leatherette, had a simple meniscus lens, and introduced photography to the mass market; 150,000 Brownies were sold within the first year.
George Eastman, a photographic film manufacturer, correctly viewed the camera as an ideal vehicle for the sale of photographic film.
Brownell received
US patent 725034A for the Brownie in April 14, 1903
Advertisement for the Brownie No. 1.
An original Kodak Brownie, complete with the original cardboard box, camera, case, felt lens plug, manual, memorandum and viewfinder card.
#/media/File:Kodak_Brownie_advert.jpg){kind=link}
