Difference between revisions of "Asahi Bussan"
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== Cameras distributed by Asahi Bussan == | == Cameras distributed by Asahi Bussan == | ||
* [[Olympic]] | * [[Olympic]] | ||
| + | * The Asahi Field camera | ||
* [[Super Olympic]] | * [[Super Olympic]] | ||
* [[Semi Olympic]] | * [[Semi Olympic]] | ||
Revision as of 10:02, 19 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 introduced the Super Olympic in 1935 or 1936, 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.
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| Advertisement for the Olympic cameras in The British Journal of Photography Almanac 1938, certainly dated late 1937. (Image rights) |
In the mid-1930s the company was marketing the Asahi Field Camera as well as cameras, enlargers and tripods of the Olympic series in the United Kingdom. This was one of the first attempts at camera export by a Japanese company.[3]
In 1937, the company was bought by Riken Kankōshi (predecessor of Ricoh), together with the manufacturing facilities. These were reorganized as Asahi Kōgaku Kōgyō in 1938. The same year, Riken Kankōshi got the new name Riken Kōgaku Kōgyō, which appeared as distributor name instead of Asahi Bussan.
Cameras distributed by Asahi Bussan
- Olympic
- The Asahi Field camera
- Super Olympic
- Semi Olympic
- Vest Olympic and Regal Olympic
- Adler
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.
- ↑ 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
