Cooky 35 and Robin 35
The Cooky 35 (クッキー35)[1] is a Japanese viewfinder camera for 35mm film, made by Kashiwa Seikō in 1949–50 and noted for its small size.
Description
The Cooky 35 takes fifty 24×26mm exposures on standard perforated 35mm film in regular cassettes.[2] The viewfinder is at the middle of the top plate, in a small casing extending to the right, as seen by the photographer. The name COOKY 35 is engraved above the viewfinder, together with the mention PATENT KASHIWASEIKO.
The back comes off together with the bottom plate for film loading. The film cartridge is loaded into the right-hand compartment, and there is a large pressure plate hinged to the bottom of the main body. The advance knob is at the top left, and is covered by a patch of leatherette. The rewind switch is placed next to the advance knob, to the left of the viewfinder. There is a lever on the rear, next to the viewfinder eyepiece, probably used to unlock the advance manually after each exposure. The exposure counter is made of two discs: a smaller one graduated from 0 to 5, for tens, and a larger one from 0 to 9, for units. These are placed above the casing on the viewfinder's right, next to the shutter release.
The leaf shutter, placed behind the lens, gives 100, 50, 25, B speeds, seemingly selected by a lever at the top. Another lever is visible on the left, surely to cock the shutter. The release linkage is also visible at the right of the barrel, to the bottom. The lens is fixed and front-cell focusing; it is either a Cooky Runer Anastigmat 40mm f/2.8 or a Cooky Zephyr Anastigmat 40mm f/3.5. On the cameras having the Runer, the aperture is adjustable to 22 by turning a ring around the barrel.
The case is made of brown leather and is embossed COOKY 35 at the front.[3]
Commercial life and known examples
The Cooky 35 was advertised and featured in Japanese magazines from July 1949 to March 1950. The December 1949 advertisement in Photo Art mentions the Zephyr f/3.5 lens only, and gives no price.[4]
Of the actual examples observed so far, three have the Runer f/2.8 lens (no.10090, 10153 and 10520), and only one has the Zephyr f/3.5 (no.10127), showing slight differences in the lens barrel. No body number is visible on the cameras. It is likely that the lens numbers started at 10001, and only a few examples were made, surely little more than 500.
Notes
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 3223, says in the Japanese text that the name was spelled クッケィ, but the advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.135, has クッキー.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.135.
- ↑ Case observed in an online auction.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.135. The lens name is spelled ゼファー.
Bibliography
- 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. Item 491.
- 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). P.66.
- 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). P.456.
- Pritchard, Michael and St. Denny, Douglas. Spy Cameras — A century of detective and subminiature cameras. London: Classic Collection Publications, 1993. ISBN 1-874485-00-3. Pp.49–50.
- Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Item 3223.
