Cameras in Disguise

Disguised cameras, whether for use by real spies or by more conventional photographers, began to appear during the earliest days of photography, and continued to be made well into the 1950s. Objects known to have concealed cameras, during this time, included books, cravats, walking sticks, waistcoat buttons, tie pins, parcels, belts, rings, lighters, matchboxes, cigarette packets, pocket watches, wristwatches, pens, hats, handbags, powder compacts, briefcases, binoculars, radios, revolvers and even machine guns. This profusely illustrated book covers a history of this unusual type of camera, from the earliest days to the moden digital age.