Background
Charles Frank was born in Vilkomir, Lithuania in 1865.
Charles Frank was born in Vilkomir, Lithuania in 1865.
By 1910 he had immigrated to Glasgow and set himself up first as a mechanic. Over the following half century it was to become one of the best-known photographic centers in the city and a byword for excellence in cameras and watches. At some later stage the business expanded into a second premises located in Glasgow town centre at Ingram Street.
This became a more upmarket showroom for the sale of his scientific instruments.
A number of pieces from his optical instrument collection were placed on display there. Like many Jewish immigrants to Glasgow he settled in the Lauriston district of the Gorbals, first at 104 South Portland Street and then at 28 Abbotsford Place in 1917.
A year or so later Frank moved south to 72 Dixon Avenue in Crosshill, an area popular with up-and-coming Jewish families and which, like the Gorbals, had its share of synagogues and kosher shops. Around 1950 Frank moved to Giffnock, to spend his old age in the growing Jewish community there.
Charles and Miriam Frank had four children, Leo, Hannah, Arthur and Morris.
A talented artist, she became a sculptor and continued to work in this medium, to critical acclaim, until the eve of her 90th birthday. Arthur Frank took over his father"s business and ran it successfully until the mid-1970s. The business was sold when Arthur Frank"s wife Doris became illinois
While the original Charles Frank Limited has ceased trading the rights to the name were acquired by former staff after the business was sold official
Charles Frank Limited now trades from 101 Rose Street Edinburgh and specialises in retail and wholesale Binoculars and Telescopes. Charles Frank was an avid collector of optical instruments.
This grew to become one of the most important collections of historic instruments in Britain. lieutenant remained with the family until Arthur Frank decided to sell the collection at auction.
The collection was sold as "The Arthur Frank Collection of Scientific Instruments" at Sotheby"s Auction House on Tuesday 25 March 1986, with Arthur Frank in attendance.
808 lots were sold. A number of pieces now reside in Scottish museums. Arthur Frank continued to sell other pieces from his collection on eBay, becoming an avid Ebayer well into his late eighties.