Weston Master Model 715 Meter Manual Newark NJ 1950s K.E. Hathaway Inscribed For Sale

This item is a vintage instruction manual for the Weston Master Universal Exposure Meter, Model 715, produced by the Weston Electrical Instrument Corporation of Newark, New Jersey. The cover is rendered in a bold, clean typographic layout characteristic of mid-century industrial design, featuring the brand name “THE WESTON” in a sans-serif font, with “Master” in a larger, italicized serif script beneath it, followed by “UNIVERSAL EXPOSURE METER” and “MODEL 715.” The manufacturer’s full corporate identity, “WESTON ELECTRICAL INSTRUMENT Corp.,” and its geographic origin, “NEWARK • NEW JERSEY,” anchor the piece in the American precision-instrument industry.The cover bears a stamped or hand-applied inscription reading “HATHAWAY, K. E.” alongside the alphanumeric sequence “12029219,” likely a personal ownership mark or an inventory control number from a studio, school, or institutional collection. These markings add provenance and suggest the manual was retained as a working reference by an individual photographer or a commercial operation. The internal pages, visible in additional views, include a table of contents and operational instructions for the meter, which was a standard tool for photographers requiring accurate light measurement for correct exposure in both black-and-white and color film photography.Weston was a preeminent name in the field of electrical measurement, and their exposure meters, particularly the Master series, were considered the professional standard for decades, prized for their photoelectric cell sensitivity and reliable selenium-cell technology. This manual documents the technical specifications, usage guidelines, and maintenance procedures for the Model 715, a device widely used by press photographers, studio professionals, and advanced amateurs during the post-war era. The typography, corporate branding, and technical diagrams reflect the era’s emphasis on scientific precision and commercial quality. As an artifact of photographic history, this manual offers insight into the instructional materials that accompanied precision optical instruments, capturing the intersection of engineering and artistic practice in the mid-twentieth century. The document’s condition, with its period-specific design and ownership annotations, makes it a collectible piece of ephemera for those interested in the material culture of photography and the commercial history of Newark’s manufacturing sector.

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