Difference between revisions of "Asahi Bussan"
Rebollo fr (talk | contribs) (links to historical articles on Ricoh) |
Rebollo fr (talk | contribs) m (→Links: fix) |
||
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
== Links == | == Links == | ||
| − | In | + | In Japanese: |
* [http://www.net-ir.ne.jp/ir_magazine/pioneer/vol057_7752.html History of Ricoh] in the September and October 2002 issue (Vol.57) of [http://www.net-ir.ne.jp/ir_magagine/index.html IR Magazine] | * [http://www.net-ir.ne.jp/ir_magazine/pioneer/vol057_7752.html History of Ricoh] in the September and October 2002 issue (Vol.57) of [http://www.net-ir.ne.jp/ir_magagine/index.html IR Magazine] | ||
* [http://www.riken.jp/r-world/info/release/news/2000/jun/index.html#special History of Riken Kankōshi and its links with the Riken institute], in the June 2000 issue (N°228) of the [http://www.riken.jp/r-world/info/release/ Riken News bulletin] published by the [http://www.riken.jp/ Riken Institute] | * [http://www.riken.jp/r-world/info/release/news/2000/jun/index.html#special History of Riken Kankōshi and its links with the Riken institute], in the June 2000 issue (N°228) of the [http://www.riken.jp/r-world/info/release/ Riken News bulletin] published by the [http://www.riken.jp/ Riken Institute] | ||
[[Category:Japanese distributors]] | [[Category:Japanese distributors]] | ||
Revision as of 18:35, 18 January 2009
Asahi Bussan G.K. (旭物産㈾, Asahi Bussan Gōshi-gaisha) was a Japanese distributor based in Tokyo's Ginza commercial district.[1]
The company distributed the Olympic cameras from 1934, and around 1936, it released the Super Olympic, Japan's first 35mm leaf-shutter camera. Some sources say that the cameras were made by a separate company called "Olympic Camera" or "Olympic Camera Works", but this is probably a mere dummy name used for advertising purpose only, as other names ending in Camera Works.[2] The cameras were either manufactured in Asahi Bussan's own factory, or by a third-party supplier whose name is unknown.
In the mid-1930s the company was marketing the Asahi Field Camera as well as cameras, enlargers and tripods under the Olympic brand, both in Japan and in the United Kingdom. After Riken Kankōshi took over the Olympic Camera Works in 1937 Asahi Bussan continued marketing the Olympic cameras and started selling some of Riken's Adler cameras and cameras like the Vest Alex badged as Vest Olympic or Regal Olympic. In 1937 Asahi Bussan itself got merged into Riken Kankōshi. After Riken got its new name Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō in 1938 this name appeared as distributor name instead of Asahi Bussan.
Notes
- ↑ The address of Asahi Bussan in late 1937 was Kyōbashi-ku Nishi Ginza 8–1 (No.1, 8 chome Nishiginza Kyobashi, Tokyo, Japan). Source: advertisement by Asahi Bussan published at the end of 1937 in The British Journal Photographic Almanac 1938, pp.694–5.
- ↑ The name "K.K. Olympic Camera" is given in Arimura but this article of IR Magazine and this article of the Riken News bulletin say "Olympic Camera Seisakusho" (オリンピックカメラ製作所) instead. The name "O.C. Works" appears in an advertisement by Asahi Bussan published at the end of 1937 in The British Journal Photographic Almanac 1938, pp.694–5.
Bibliography
- Advertisement by Asahi Bussan in The British Journal Photographic Almanac 1938, edited by Arthur J. Dalladay, published by Henri Greenwood & Co., Ltd., London. Pp.694–5. (By its very nature, the 1938 Almanac was published at the end of 1937.)
- Arimura Katsumi (有村克巳). "Rikō Ryakushi" (リコー略史, Ricoh short history). Kamera Rebyū: Kurashikku Kamera Senka (カメラレビュー クラシックカメラ専科) / Camera Review: All about Historical Cameras no.14, October 1989. No ISBN number. Rikō kamera no subete (リコーカメラのすべて, special issue on Ricoh). Pp.6–7.
Links
In Japanese:
- History of Ricoh in the September and October 2002 issue (Vol.57) of IR Magazine
- History of Riken Kankōshi and its links with the Riken institute, in the June 2000 issue (N°228) of the Riken News bulletin published by the Riken Institute
