The name Takyr appeared associated to a strut folding press-type camera circa 1900. Its origin and development is involved in a degree of mystery relating to unknown facts of the makers E. Krauss and L. Joux. Analysing the makers’ catalogues from the period, and also those from independent distributors, seems to indicate that L. Joux was the maker of the camera body while E. Krauss was producing the optics. Both sold the camera under their own brand, but it seems it was exactly the same product.

The first reference is the catalogue of L. Joux of 1900 – however the camera pictured is not from the typical Takyr, instead is the model that in later catalogues from E. Krauss (from 1902) would be shown has the Tykta Pliant, a low cost strut folding camera. The catalogue of E. Krauss from 1901 also shows this camera as the Takyr. The 1900 L. Joux camera from the detailed features it seems that it could be of German origin.

The real Takyr, of unquestioned full French construction, appeared in the catalogues of E. Krauss and L. Joux from 1902, with exact similar characteristics. From then on the Takyr of 1900 would be called as Tykta Pliant and sold only by E. Krauss. However, catalogues from independent distributors (such as Pho-Lux or Au Bon Marché) were still showing the Takyr of 1900 as late as 1903-04, but in 1905 the Takyr and Tykta models were clearly separated (such as in Manufrance). McKeown correctly separes both cameras with not so correct dates.

This particular Takyr camera is from 1908, easily dated from the characteristics of its shutter. In the E. Krauss catalogue from March 1908 where the camera is referred as the Takyr-Krauss, the shutter of 1908 is described and corresponds entirely to this particular camera. The shutter is self-capped, controlled from the exterior, and can be set before of after coking. There are controls for slit width and spring tension. For small slits (less than 0.5 cm), the width is controlled by a small rod directly on the shutter curtain, with a numerical scale from 1 to 5. The shutter delivers speeds in the range 1/25 to 1/1000, plus P.

The wooden body is covered by finely grained leather, and at the top there is a bubble level and a Newton folding finder with a pending pointer, and with an articulated pointer on the lens standard. The struts are flat and slotted.

The lens standard rotates and allows for horizontal and vertical movements for perspective correction. The lens is a Zeiss-Krauss Tessar of 150 mm of focal length and maximum aperture of 4.5. Focusing down to circa 1.5 m is made on the lens barrel.