Houghton Folding Ensign Junior

The Folding Ensign Junior, introduced by Houghton in 1912, holds a significant place as one of the earliest commercially available 35mm cameras. Its folding design was characteristic of pocket cameras of the era, prioritizing portability while utilizing the then-novel 135 (35mm) film format. This placement placed it at the forefront of the shift towards smaller, more convenient cameras using the perforated film strip originally intended for motion pictures. While Houghton had previously explored 35mm designs, the Junior cemented its status by bringing this format to the hands of serious amateur photographers, aiming for a balance of usability and image quality within a compact, leather-covered body.