Frank Six
The Frank Six (フランクシックス) are a series of Japanese 6×6 folding cameras produced in the first half of the 1950s by Tōsei Kōki.
Contents
Common features
All the Frank Six models are horizontal folders, with folding struts inspired by the Ikonta. They can take 6×6cm or 4.5×6cm format pictures when using an internal mask. The T.K logo of Tōsei Kōki is engraved on the folding struts and on the lens standard in one corner.
The Frank Six Model I and Frank Six Model 1951
The Frank Six Model I and Frank Six Model 1951 are nearly the same camera. The overall shape and control layout is similar to the early models of the Olympus Chrome Six The top and bottom plates are chrome finished. There is a tubular optical finder in the middle of the top plate, the body release is on the right and the folding bed release and accessory shoe are on the left. The advance knob is at the left end, it is quite high and has a conical base. This knob has a flat metal top on the early examples, with an arrow indicating the winding direction. On later cameras it has a round leather patch and no arrow. There is a decorative film flange on the right end.
The back is removed together with the bottom plate for film loading. It is locked in place by a rotating button in the middle of the bottom plate, with L and O positions (Lock and Open). There are two red windows, one for each format, protected by a cover horizontally sliding under a black plate. These black plates are engraved 4.5 X 6 and 6 X 6 to indicate the picture format. Two red lines in the viewfinder delineate the field of view for 4.5×6cm pictures.
The name Frank six is engraved in the top plate in cursive style. The model name MODEL–I– or MODEL 1951 is engraved just below, in capital letters. The analysis of the serial numbers of the Seriter lens indicate that the Model 1951 predates the Model I.
The top plate is engraved Frank six in bold handwritten style, and MODEL-I- or MODEL 1951 in square style. There is a metal plate at both ends of the body, acting as a ligth seal for the removable back, engraved FRANK in capital letters on at least one very early example and Frank in cursive style on most of the cameras. The lens standard has protruding corners, one of them has the TK logo, except on the very early example mentioned above. The lens standard is chrome with a black logo on the early cameras and black with a white logo on the late ones. A similar logo is embossed in the leather of the folding bed on the late cameras.
Some Model I cameras have been observed with Tōsei.O.W 1953 embossed in the back leather. Tōsei.O.W is underlined, and most probably stands for Tōsei Optical Works (a translation of Tōsei Kōki Seisakusho?). One such camera has been observed at an eBay auction with the TK logo on the folding bed, while McKeown pictures another with the year 1953 vertically stamped in the leather at the same place, replacing the logo.
The lens is usually a Seriter Anastigmat 75/3.5 with front cell focusing on the Model I and a C Seriter Anastigmat 75/3.5 on the Model 1951. Its minimal aperture setting was 22, and its maker is unknown. McKeown's camera stamped 1953 has a Seriter Anastigmat 80/3.5, unlike the other 1953 example observed. A Model 1951 has been observed in a Yahoo Japan auction with a Nomular Anastigmat 75/3.2 lens.
The shutter has B-1-200 speeds and is marked TKS on the rim, maybe for Tōsei Kōki Seisakusho. The shutter plate sometimes shows an arrow pattern all around the lens, with no other marking (on the 1953 models?) while on other cameras there is simply a thick black circle and a FRANK marking at the bottom.
A camera has been offered at a Yahoo Japan auction as a "Frank Six Model II", but no photograph was provided to confirm this.
 
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| Frank Six Model 1951, C Seriter Anastigmat 75mm f/3.5 lens Pictures courtesy of Robert Smith. (Image rights) | |
The Frank Six IV
The Frank Six IV has a top housing containing an eye level finder offset to the right and a waist level optical finder offset to the left. The accessory shoe is now at the right end of the top plate, and the shape of the advance knob is different. The rest of the camera is very similar to the Model I. The top housing is engraved Frank.six in handwritten style and MODEL-IV- in red underneath. The shutter is the same TKS with B-1-200 speeds. The lens is now a Tosei Anastigmat 80/3.5, with a red C (certainly for Coated). On the cameras observed, the plate behind the lens is black.
McKeown mentions a Liner Six, a name variant of the Frank Six IV.
Notes
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. Items 779–82. (See also the advertisement for item 783.)
- 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. 67–8, 75, 79 and 83 (brief mentions only).
- 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. 928.
- 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. Items 1303–7.
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