Difference between revisions of "Baby Pearl"

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The '''Baby Pearl''' is a Japanese 3×4 folding camera, made from 1934 to 1950 by [[Konica|Rokuoh-sha]], later [[Konica|Konishiroku]] (the predecessor of Konica).<REF> Dates: Miyazaki, pp.10–3. The Baby Pearl has the odd distinction of being the only camera to be named in John W. Dower's ''Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II'' (New York: Norton, 1999). Dower suggests that it was a postwar innovation and says that it was aimed at GI buyers. Most postwar examples would indeed have gone to GIs (as was true for most models of camera in the late forties, when most of the Japanese population was desperately poor); however, the design was prewar and the "Pearl" name goes all the way back to [[Pearl (for plates and rollfilm)|1909]].</REF>
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The '''Baby Pearl''' is a Japanese 3×4 folding camera, made from 1934 to 1950 by Konishiroku (predecessor of [[Konica]]).<REF> Dates: Miyazaki, pp.10–3. The Baby Pearl has the odd distinction of being the only camera to be named in John W. Dower's ''Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II'' (New York: Norton, 1999). Dower suggests that it was a postwar innovation and says that it was aimed at GI buyers. Most postwar examples would indeed have gone to GIs (as was true for most models of camera in the late forties, when most of the Japanese population was desperately poor); however, the design was prewar and the "Pearl" name goes all the way back to [[Pearl (for plates and rollfilm)|1909]]. </REF>
  
 
''See also the [[Pearl (for plates and rollfilm)]], [[Pearl No.2]], [[Pearl (6×9 self-erecting)|self-erecting 6×9 Pearl]] and [[Pearl (4.5×6)|4.5×6 Pearl]].''
 
''See also the [[Pearl (for plates and rollfilm)]], [[Pearl No.2]], [[Pearl (6×9 self-erecting)|self-erecting 6×9 Pearl]] and [[Pearl (4.5×6)|4.5×6 Pearl]].''
  
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== Body ==
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== General description ==
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The Baby Pearl is a vertical folding camera, with curved struts and a folding optical finder. It is inspired by the [[Zeiss Ikon]] [[Baby Ikonta]], but it is not a dead copy. The back is hinged to the left, and there is an advance knob under the body. The bed opening button is close to the advance knob on most examples except the last ones with body release. Film advance is controlled via two red windows in the back. There is a metal part between the two red windows that could be a sliding cover or some element of the pressure plate. It is said that the camera was revised in 1935, but the nature of the modifications is unknown.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.338. </REF> The above description applies to post-1935 cameras.
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The Baby Pearl is a vertical folder inspired by the [[Zeiss Ikon]] [[Baby Ikonta]], but not a dead copy. It has incurved struts and a folding optical finder. The body edges are either black or chrome finished. The name ''BABY PEARL'' is embossed in the leather covering at the front.
  
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The camera is embossed ''BABY PEARL'' in the leather covering, and it has been observed with black or metal trimming. It is said that the chrome trim was available from 1938.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.338. </REF> The outer part of the viewfinder is usually chrome, even in examples with a black body. However some early examples have been observed with a completely black finder.<REF> See the example pictured in {{Kokusan}}, p.10. </REF>
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The back is hinged to the left and is locked by a sliding bar on the right — as seen by the photographer holding the camera horizontally. The film is advanced by a knob at the bottom right, and there are two red windows in the back to control its position. On most cameras, the main release is on the shutter casing and the folding bed release is close to the advance knob, but the last postwar examples have a body release and bed opening button symmetrically placed around the viewfinder (see below).<!--<REF> Miyazaki, p.12–3, pictures an example of the Baby Pearl equipped with a body release. Another example has been observed in an online auction. </REF>-->
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The shutter is a Rox (B, 25, 50, 100), made by the company itself. The speeds are selected by an index at the top of the shutter casing. The name ''Rox'' is incribed at the top of the shutter plate; at the bottom it sports the name ''Rokuoh-sha'' until 1943, then ''Konishiroku''. The shutter is self-cocking on most cameras, but the examples with body release have a cocking lever.
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<!-- It is said that the chrome trim was available from 1938.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.338. </REF> The outer part of the viewfinder is usually chrome-plated, regardless of the main finish. However some early examples have been observed with a completely black finder.<REF> See the example pictured in {{Kokusan}}, p.10. </REF> -->
  
 
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Revision as of 16:46, 9 November 2008

468387309_32a5b5305c_m_d.jpg
Picture courtesy of Jay Tepper. (Image rights)
Japanese Baby (3×4) and Four (4×4) (edit)
folding
3×4 Baby Balnet | Doris | Baby Doris | Baby Germa | Kinsi | Baby Leotax | Loren | Baby Lyra | Baby Pearl | Baby Pilot | Baby Rosen | Baby Suzuka | Walz
4×4 Adler Four | Rosen Four
rigid or collapsible
3×4 Baika | Baby Chrome | Comet | Cyclon | Gelto | Baby Germa | Gokoku | Hamond | Baby Hawk | Kinka Lucky | Lausar | Light | Baby Light | Molby | Mulber | Olympic | Baby Ōso | Peacock | Picny | Ricohl | Rorox | Shinko Baby | Slick | Baby Sport | Tsubasa Arawashi | Baby Uirus | Zessan
3.5×4 Kenko 35
4×4 Alma Four | Andes Four | Anny 44 | Arsen | Balnet Four | Bonny Four | Freude | Kalimar 44 | Auto Keef | Kraft | Letix | Mykey-4 | Olympic Four | Roico | Royal Senior | Seica | Terra Junior | Vero Four | Welmy 44 | Yashica Future 127
unknown
Baby First | Baby Lyra Flex
Japanese SLR, TLR, pseudo TLR and stereo models ->
Japanese 4×5 and 4×6.5, 4.5×6, 6×6 and 6×9 ->
This is a work in progress.

The Baby Pearl is a Japanese 3×4 folding camera, made from 1934 to 1950 by Konishiroku (predecessor of Konica).[1]

See also the Pearl (for plates and rollfilm), Pearl No.2, self-erecting 6×9 Pearl and 4.5×6 Pearl.

General description

The Baby Pearl is a vertical folder inspired by the Zeiss Ikon Baby Ikonta, but not a dead copy. It has incurved struts and a folding optical finder. The body edges are either black or chrome finished. The name BABY PEARL is embossed in the leather covering at the front.

The back is hinged to the left and is locked by a sliding bar on the right — as seen by the photographer holding the camera horizontally. The film is advanced by a knob at the bottom right, and there are two red windows in the back to control its position. On most cameras, the main release is on the shutter casing and the folding bed release is close to the advance knob, but the last postwar examples have a body release and bed opening button symmetrically placed around the viewfinder (see below).

The shutter is a Rox (B, 25, 50, 100), made by the company itself. The speeds are selected by an index at the top of the shutter casing. The name Rox is incribed at the top of the shutter plate; at the bottom it sports the name Rokuoh-sha until 1943, then Konishiroku. The shutter is self-cocking on most cameras, but the examples with body release have a cocking lever.


468387309_32a5b5305c_m_d.jpg 468387317_3d5265b181_m_d.jpg
Baby Pearl, Optor f/4.5 lens, Rokuoh-sha markings.
Pictures courtesy of Jay Tepper. (Image rights)

Shutter

The shutter is a Rox, made by Rokuoh-sha, later Konishiroku, and giving B, 25, 50, 100 speeds. The speed is selected by a small lever on top of the shutter housing. The Rox shutter is usually everset, but the last postwar examples have a cocking shutter and a body release and bed opening button symmetrically placed around the viewfinder.[2]

The shutter plate is marked ROX at the top and Rokuoh-sha or Konishiroku at the bottom. The company changed its name in 1943, and it is said that all the postwar examples are marked Konishiroku while all the prewar ones are marked Rokuoh-sha.[3] The lens and shutter markings usually match, but at least one example has been observed[4] with a Konishiroku lens and a Rokuoh-sha shutter, maybe not original.

Most shutter plates have two decorative lines, one on each side. However examples have been observed with a plain black shutter plate, only marked ROX and Rokuoh-sha, one with an Optor f:6.3 lens and aperture scale on a chrome rim[5], another with an Optor f:4.5 lens and aperture scale directly engraved at the bottom of the shutter plate.

Lens

It seems that the camera was originally introduced with f/6.3 and f/4.5 lens options, and that an f/3.8 option was introduced in 1937.[6] An advertisement dated January 1939[7] lists the following lenses:

Advertisements dated May and September 1939[9] only list the Optor lenses.

It is said that the Optor is a triplet and was made by Asahi Kōgaku while the Hexar is a four element Tessar-type lens.[10] The lens bezels are chrome or black and it seems that the black ones are only found on prewar examples.

The most common aperture is f/4.5. Here are the lens markings observed so far:

  • Rokuoh-sha N°XXXXX Optor 1:6.3 f=50mm;
  • Rokuoh-sha N°XXXXX Optor 1:4.5 f=50mm;
  • Rokuoh-sha N°XXXXX Hexar Ser.1 1:4.5 f=50mm;
  • Konishiroku N°XXXXX Hexar 1:4.5 f=50mm.

Notes

  1. ↑ Dates: Miyazaki, pp.10–3. The Baby Pearl has the odd distinction of being the only camera to be named in John W. Dower's Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of World War II (New York: Norton, 1999). Dower suggests that it was a postwar innovation and says that it was aimed at GI buyers. Most postwar examples would indeed have gone to GIs (as was true for most models of camera in the late forties, when most of the Japanese population was desperately poor); however, the design was prewar and the "Pearl" name goes all the way back to 1909.
  2. ↑ Miyazaki, p.12–3, pictures an example of the Baby Pearl equipped with a body release. Another example has been observed in an online auction.
  3. ↑ Miyazaki, p.12–3.
  4. ↑ In an online auction.
  5. ↑ Omoide no supuringu-kamera-ten, p.18.
  6. ↑ Date: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.338.
  7. ↑ Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.82.
  8. ↑ This price is barely legible.
  9. ↑ Advertisements published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.82.
  10. ↑ Attribution of the Optor according to this page of the R. Konishi website.

Bibliography

Original documents

Not seen:

  • Yoshikawa Hayao (吉川速男). Watakushi no Bebī Pāru (私のベビーパール, My Baby Pearl). Tokyo: Genkōsha, 1938.
  • Yoshikawa Hayao (吉川速男). Bebī Pāru no dainiho (ベビーパールの第二歩, Second step with a Baby Pearl). Tokyo: Genkōsha, 1939.

Recent sources

  • Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7. Items 168 and 680. (See also the advertisements for item 170 and the pictures pp.10 and 428.)
  • The Japanese Historical Camera. 日本の歴史的カメラ (Nihon no rekishiteki kamera). 2nd ed. Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 2004. P. 19.
  • Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard). Pp.51, 56, 60, 62.
  • Masaki Masayoshi (正木正佳). "Konica history 6. Bebī Pāru." (Konica history 6. ベビーパール. Baby Pearl.) 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.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.45–7.
  • McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). Pp.537–8.
  • Miyazaki Shigemoto (宮崎繁幹). Konika kamera no 50-nen: Konika I-gata kara Hekisā RF e (コニカカメラの50年：コニカI型からヘキサーRFへ, Fifty years of Konica cameras: From the Konica I to the Hexar RF). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 2003. ISBN 4-257-12038-X.
  • Omoide no supuringu-kamera-ten (思い出のスプリングカメラ展, Exhibition of beloved self-erecting cameras). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1992. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.) P.18.
  • Zaisu Ikon (座椅子遺恨, probably a pseudonym of Y. Saji). "Besuto sanka (B-1)" (ベスト讃歌[B-1], Vest hymn [B-1]). In Camera Collectors' News no.57 (March 1982). Nishinomiya: Camera Collectors News-sha. P.7.

Links

In English:

In Japanese:


Konishiroku prewar and wartime cameras (edit)
plate hand cameras stereo hand cameras strut folders box telephoto SLR
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rollfilm folders box or collapsible TLR
Pearlette | Special Pearlette | B Pearlette | Pearl (for plates and rollfilm) | Pearl No.2 | Pearl (Year 8) | Baby Pearl | Semi Pearl | Sakura Palace Record | Sakura (box) | Sakura (bakelite) Sakura-flex
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