Houghton Pocket Klito

The Pocket Klito represents an intriguing early experiment in miniature photography, produced by the British firm Houghton around 1905-1906. Predating the Leica I by nearly two decades, it utilized 135 (35mm) film format, likely employing perforated cinema stock adapted for still photography. Designed for portability, its name implies a compact, pocketable form factor, potentially similar to vest pocket cameras popular later but innovative for its time. Houghton, known for lenses and rollfilm cameras, ventured into this smaller format, demonstrating a keen interest in advancing photographic accessibility beyond bulky equipment. While its specific operational details are obscure in the absence of examples, its existence highlights the period's exploration of miniature cameras before the 1925 Leica revolutionized the market. It stands as a significant, if less heralded, contributor to the lineage of small-format photography.