Contessa-Nettel

Contessa-Nettel AG Stuttgart was a German company that resulted from a merger of Contessa Camerawerke Drexler & Nagel and Nettel Camerawerk in the year 1919. After a time of cooperation with ICA it became part of Zeiss Ikon in 1926.

Dr August Nagel began his camera design business in 1908 as Drexler & Nagel, quickly to become the Contessa Camerawerke a year later. In 1919, he bought the Nettel Kamera-werke and renamed the combined operation Contessa-Nettel AG. Stuttgart, Germany. It operated under the Contessa-Nettel name from 1919 until 1926.

One of the company's specialties was its wide range of stereo camera models. Another specialty were cameras with focal plane shutter. Some of these cameras were marketed under the name "Deckrullo", perhaps a combination of the German word decken (to cover) and the French rouleau (roll).

Cameras

Quarter-plate Alino image by Tim Jones (Image rights)

Deckrullo-Nettel strut-folder image by Uwe Kulick (Image rights)

Piccolette image by Kimmo Kulovesi (Image rights)

• Adoro
• Alino
• Altura
• Argus
• Ballonkamera Atlanta
• Box Contessa
• Citoskop (stereo TLR)
• Contessa-Nettel Stereo / Capi (?)
• Cocarette
• Contiskop (stereo)
• Costa
• Deckrullo-Nettel including tropical and stereo models
• Donata
• Duchessa (folding bed)
• Duchessa (strut-folding)
• Duchessa Stereo
• Duroff
• Duroll
• Ergo
• Fiduca
• Luca
• Minar
• Miroflex
• Multum Panorama
• Multum Reflex
• Multum Stereo
• Nettix
• No. 533
• Onito
• Onix
• Piccolette
• Recto
• Renata
• Rollco
• S.B.
• Sonnar
• Sonnet, including the Westentaschen Sonnet (the 4.5x6 cm 'vest pocket' model), and tropical models
• Sonny
• Sonto
• Spido
• Stereax (stereo)
• Steroco (stereo)
• Suevia
• Taxo
• Tessco
• Toska
• Trona
• Tropen Adoro
• Tropen Stereo
• Unitak
• Volupa
• Westca

Links

• Contessa Nettel cameras (amongst others) at a German Fotomuseum site.
• Kodak-Nagel-werke at Brian Wallens Photography Notes