Kodak Verichrome Pan 120 found in Voigtländer Bessa

This roll of Kodak Verichrome Pan was found in Voigtländer Bessa camera that came from Ivanhoe in Victoria. Inside the camera case with initials J.M.H. embossed in gold was a business card of Pulse Nightclub, 14-20 King Street, Melbourne. On the reverse of the card the following was written in blue pen:

Voigtlander Bessa

Lyle + Jenny 9-97

The film was stuck at frame 8, the last on the roll. This is very unusual for a folding roll film camera. The roll had to be removed from the camera in complete darkness. The cause of the jam became evident immediately. The receiving spool was of the wrong type 620 instead of intended type 120. Clever Voigtländer engineers made a camera that could take both types of film provided the receiving spool is of the right type. The caveat here is that after shooting a type 620 roll you end up with the wrong empty spool that can no longer be used as a receiving spool for the next roll. The photographer must have been unaware of this or did not have a spare spool but was desperate to use the camera. And it almost worked until frame 8. I don't know what is more remarkable here, the determination of the photographer or the solid design of the camera that allowed the careless user to completely destroy the spool and tear the backing paper without causing any harm to the camera itself.

The film was developed in Kodak HC-110 dilution B for 8 minutes and 15 seconds at 14 °C. Three frames were found on the roll. Frames 2 to 5 remained unexposed.