Tylar's Cyclefocus

Tylar's Cyclefocus Automatic Retoucher

Many photographers in the 1890s were experimenting with various methods of soft focus. One theory was that a rotating set of different apertures would vary the depth of field and also produce a soft image. In the UK in 1904 the Brown brothers patented such a device. It was made by W. Tylar a photographic goods manufacturer of Aston, near Birmingham.

The Kodak Collection at the National Media Museum, Bradford, UK has one and this is their description:

Three screw fitting for up to 40mm lens mount. Rotating plate with eight apertures for 0.8cm-3.8cm* in descending then ascending order of size. Operated by spring driven rackwork engaging gear on the plate shaft. Intended to clear softening effect in portraits. To be fitted on existing shutters or lenses. By rapid rotation of the perforated disc during exposure the light waves are so altered that the resulting negative has harsh lines softened, harsh lights subdued and softness and modelling automatically imparted to the image photographed.

W. Tylar.c.1905

It’s a nicely made item with an attractive brass faceplate. A small lever at the bottom will engage a notch on the aperture wheel so the largest hole stays in position for focusing. When you swing it away the geared rack can be slid along to the right edge, rotating the wheel via a pinion as it goes. The release lever on the left side will now hold the spring-loaded rack in position. Pressing the release starts the wheel rotating and it runs for about three seconds, just enough time for you to fire the shutter while it is spinning.

Spring tensioned and ready to rotate

It was also advertised as the “Portrait Improver” and Brian Coe in his 1978 book “Cameras” says:

If it worked at all, it was probably because of the vibration it set up as the wheel rotated!

*They must have been made in different sizes as the holes in the one I have range from 0.4cm - 2.2cm and the lens mount is 50mm. I acquired mine with a plate camera bought at a local auction some years ago. The only other one I’ve ever seen for sale was on eBay in 2005, it also had the 40mm mount. That one sold for US$425.