Difference between revisions of "Fujimoto"
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== History == | == History == | ||
| − | Fujimoto was founded in Osaka in 1913 by Fujimoto Tōjirō (藤本藤次郎) to make photogravure equipment.<REF> [http://www.fujimoto-photo.co.jp/web/corp/history/index.html Fujimoto official company history]. </REF> In 1933, it established as '''Gōshi-gaisha Fujimoto Seisakusho''' ({{goshi}}藤本製作所, meaning Fujimoto Mfg. Co.) and opened a plant in Osaka, | + | Fujimoto was founded in Osaka in 1913 by Fujimoto Tōjirō (藤本藤次郎) to make photogravure equipment.<REF> [http://www.fujimoto-photo.co.jp/web/corp/history/index.html Fujimoto official company history]. </REF> In 1933, it established as '''Gōshi-gaisha Fujimoto Seisakusho''' ({{goshi}}藤本製作所, meaning Fujimoto Mfg. Co.) and opened a plant in Osaka, Minami-ku Nagahoribashi-suji 2–8 (大阪市南区長堀橋筋二丁目八).<REF> [http://www.fujimoto-photo.co.jp/web/corp/history/index.html Fujimoto official company history]. Exact address: advertisement dated December 1935 reproduced in Tanimura, p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11, advertisements dated 1937 to 1942 reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, pp.76 and 102, and April 1943 government inquiry. For some reason, Tanimura, p.50 of {{KKS}} no.11, says Minami-ku Hachiman-suji-ura (南区八幡筋裏). </REF> It perhaps began to manufacture cameras around that time. In late 1934, it released the [[Semi Prince]] (the earliest Japanese 4.5×6cm camera), distributed by [[Fukada|Fukada Shōkai]].<REF> The earliest advertisement for the [[Semi Prince]] was in the November 1934 issue of ''[[Asahi Camera]]''. It is reproduced in Tanimura, p.50 of {{KKS}} no.11. </REF> This camera was advertised as "made by Prince Camera Works", certainly a mere dummy name used by Fukada for advertising purpose (see [[Camera Works]]). The other cameras called Prince and advertised as "made by Prince Camera Works" are sometimes attributed to Fujimoto, but this is unconfirmed. |
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In 1935, the production of enlargers began under the brand Lucky and it still continues today (2007).<REF> [http://www.fujimoto-photo.co.jp/web/corp/history/index.html Fujimoto official company history]. </REF> The first enlargers were developed by Takahashi Kenzō (高橋健三), who had entered the company in 1934 and would become its CEO after the war.<REF> Tanimura, p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11. </REF> | In 1935, the production of enlargers began under the brand Lucky and it still continues today (2007).<REF> [http://www.fujimoto-photo.co.jp/web/corp/history/index.html Fujimoto official company history]. </REF> The first enlargers were developed by Takahashi Kenzō (高橋健三), who had entered the company in 1934 and would become its CEO after the war.<REF> Tanimura, p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11. </REF> | ||
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|| ''Fujimoto logo. {{public domain Japan new}}'' | || ''Fujimoto logo. {{public domain Japan new}}'' | ||
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| − | In 1937, Fujimoto bought | + | In September 1937, Fujimoto bought all the assets of the company [[Neumann & Heilemann]], including the trademarks and the plant near the Mukogawa (武庫川) river, which became the company's Mukogawa plant, reportedly called Mukogawa Shashin Kōgyō (武庫川写真工業, meaning Mukogawa Photo Industries).<REF> Tanimura, p.99 of {{KKS}} no.12, and p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11 (note 2). </REF> Fujimoto took over the production of the [[Rulex]] and [[Perfekt]] shutters and [[Prince Flex]] TLR camera, and the assembly of the Radionar lenses. The ''NH'' logo and "Neumann & Heilemann" markings were kept on all these products, and it is not possible to identify for sure those which were made after Fujimoto's takeover. |
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| + | The [[Semi Lucky]], produced from 1937 in the Mukogawa plant,<REF> Tanimura, p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11. </REF> was the first camera sold by the company under its own brand. In 1940, Fujimoto began to make its own Rapidex leaf shutter, produced in the same Mukogawa plant and mounted on the [[Semi Sport]].<REF> [http://www.fujimoto-photo.co.jp/web/corp/history/index.html Fujimoto official company history]. Produced in the Mukogawa plant: Tanimura, p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11. The Rapidex is mistakenly attributed to Chiyoda, predecessor of [[Minolta]], in the {{Inquiry1943_short}} (shutter item 18-P-27). </REF> The Rapidex shutter displays the logo of the company, formed by the letters ''FT'' arranged as a circle — FT are the initials of the founder Fujimoto Tōjirō (藤本藤次郎).<REF> FT initials of Fujimoto Tōjirō: Tanimura, p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11. </REF> Fujimoto also made a larger leaf shutter called Sport, sold to various other camera makers.<REF> Sport made by Fujimoto: {{Inquiry1943_short}}, shutter item 24-Q-2. </REF> | ||
In 1943, Fujimoto established a new plant together with [[Kashimura|Kashimura Yōkō]] and [[Tomioka|Tomioka Kōgaku]] in the Manchurian city of Dalian, under the name '''Kantō Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K.''' (関東光学工業{{kabu}}).<REF> [http://www.fujimoto-photo.co.jp/web/corp/history/index.html Fujimoto official company history]. </REF> Plans were drawn to move the production of enlargers and cameras there, with almost no result.<REF> Tanimura, p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11. </REF> All activity stopped in 1945. | In 1943, Fujimoto established a new plant together with [[Kashimura|Kashimura Yōkō]] and [[Tomioka|Tomioka Kōgaku]] in the Manchurian city of Dalian, under the name '''Kantō Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K.''' (関東光学工業{{kabu}}).<REF> [http://www.fujimoto-photo.co.jp/web/corp/history/index.html Fujimoto official company history]. </REF> Plans were drawn to move the production of enlargers and cameras there, with almost no result.<REF> Tanimura, p.51 of {{KKS}} no.11. </REF> All activity stopped in 1945. | ||
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=== Recent sources === | === Recent sources === | ||
* {{Showa10}} | * {{Showa10}} | ||
| − | * Kawamata Masataku (川又正卓). | + | * Kawamata Masataku (川又正卓). "Semi Prince — Luck." In [[Sources: Japanese language#Supuringu kamera de ikou|''Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata'']] (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: The use of and actual examples from 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.78–80. |
* {{McKeown12}} Pp.331–2, 572. | * {{McKeown12}} Pp.331–2, 572. | ||
| + | * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Neumann & Heilemann: kieta ashiato, Minoruta setsuritsu to sono ato no karera wo otte" (Neumann & Heilemann 消えた足跡・ミノルタ設立とその後の彼等を追って, On the traces of Neumann & Heilemann at the founding of Minolta and afterwards.) {{KKS012}} Pp.96–9. | ||
* Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Purinsu kara Rakku made — Takahashi Kenzō shi ni kiku." (セミプリンスからラックまで・高橋健三氏にきく, "From the Semi Prince to the Luck — Asking Takahashi Kenzō") {{KKS011}} Pp.50–1. Based on an interview of Takahashi Kenzō, former CEO of Fujimoto, who entered the company in 1934. | * Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Purinsu kara Rakku made — Takahashi Kenzō shi ni kiku." (セミプリンスからラックまで・高橋健三氏にきく, "From the Semi Prince to the Luck — Asking Takahashi Kenzō") {{KKS011}} Pp.50–1. Based on an interview of Takahashi Kenzō, former CEO of Fujimoto, who entered the company in 1934. | ||
Revision as of 13:49, 22 April 2008
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| K.K. Fujimoto Shashinki Seisakusho. (Image rights) |
Fujimoto is a Japanese company that made cameras at some time and currently (2007) makes enlargers and other equipment.
Contents
History
Fujimoto was founded in Osaka in 1913 by Fujimoto Tōjirō (藤本藤次郎) to make photogravure equipment.[1] In 1933, it established as Gōshi-gaisha Fujimoto Seisakusho (㈾藤本製作所, meaning Fujimoto Mfg. Co.) and opened a plant in Osaka, Minami-ku Nagahoribashi-suji 2–8 (大阪市南区長堀橋筋二丁目八).[2] It perhaps began to manufacture cameras around that time. In late 1934, it released the Semi Prince (the earliest Japanese 4.5×6cm camera), distributed by Fukada Shōkai.[3] This camera was advertised as "made by Prince Camera Works", certainly a mere dummy name used by Fukada for advertising purpose (see Camera Works). The other cameras called Prince and advertised as "made by Prince Camera Works" are sometimes attributed to Fujimoto, but this is unconfirmed.
In 1935, the production of enlargers began under the brand Lucky and it still continues today (2007).[4] The first enlargers were developed by Takahashi Kenzō (高橋健三), who had entered the company in 1934 and would become its CEO after the war.[5]
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| Fujimoto logo. (Image rights) |
In September 1937, Fujimoto bought all the assets of the company Neumann & Heilemann, including the trademarks and the plant near the Mukogawa (武庫川) river, which became the company's Mukogawa plant, reportedly called Mukogawa Shashin Kōgyō (武庫川写真工業, meaning Mukogawa Photo Industries).[6] Fujimoto took over the production of the Rulex and Perfekt shutters and Prince Flex TLR camera, and the assembly of the Radionar lenses. The NH logo and "Neumann & Heilemann" markings were kept on all these products, and it is not possible to identify for sure those which were made after Fujimoto's takeover.
The Semi Lucky, produced from 1937 in the Mukogawa plant,[7] was the first camera sold by the company under its own brand. In 1940, Fujimoto began to make its own Rapidex leaf shutter, produced in the same Mukogawa plant and mounted on the Semi Sport.[8] The Rapidex shutter displays the logo of the company, formed by the letters FT arranged as a circle — FT are the initials of the founder Fujimoto Tōjirō (藤本藤次郎).[9] Fujimoto also made a larger leaf shutter called Sport, sold to various other camera makers.[10]
In 1943, Fujimoto established a new plant together with Kashimura Yōkō and Tomioka Kōgaku in the Manchurian city of Dalian, under the name Kantō Kōgaku Kōgyō K.K. (関東光学工業㈱).[11] Plans were drawn to move the production of enlargers and cameras there, with almost no result.[12] All activity stopped in 1945.
In 1949 the Semi Sport and Lucky enlargers were advertised by a company called Nihon Kōki Kōgyō K.K. (日本光機工業㈱), whose relationship with Fujimoto is unknown.[13]
 
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| Advertisements for the Lucky enlargers, published in the October and November 1955 special issues of Photo Art. (Image rights) |
In 1950 the company was revived as Fujimoto Shashinki Seisakusho (藤本写真機製作所, meaning Fujimoto Camera Mfg. Co.) by Takahashi Kenzō.[14] It made a camera called Luck during a short time and also used the name Fujimoto Camera Works (藤本カメラワークス) for advertising before dropping camera production.[15] At the beginning, the products were distributed by Kashimura Yōkō, which was still mentioned as authorized dealer for Kantō (Eastern Japan) in 1954–5.[16] The authorized dealer for Kansai (Western Japan) in 1955 was K.K. Efuti Shōkai (㈱エフテイ商会, probably a transcription for FT Shōkai), perhaps a dependent company of Fujimoto; its address was Minami-ku Minami-Watayamachi 18 (南区南綿屋町18) in Osaka.[17]
The company was incorporated again in 1952 as K.K. Fujimoto Shashinki Seisakusho (㈱藤本写真機製作所) and the plant was moved to a new location in Osaka, Higashi-sumiyoshi-ku Kuwazu-chō (大阪市東住吉区桑津町).[18] Fujimoto advertisements dated 1955 say that fake Lucky IIB enlargers were offered on the market, and warn the customers to buy only genuine Lucky enlargers, showing the FT logo and the model name in Roman script, and sold with a warranty card.[19]
In 1960, the main address was Yao-shi Kyūhōji 2204 (八尾市久宝寺2204) in Osaka.[20] In 1966 the company became Fujimoto Shashin Kōgyō K.K. (藤本写真工業株式会社, officially translated as Fujimoto Photo Industrial Co., Ltd.).[21] In 1984, Takahashi Kenzō became senior advisor (相談役) and Takahashi Hideo (高橋英夫) became the new CEO.[22]
The company still exists (2007) and makes lab systems, enlargers and slide projectors.
Camera list
|
| Semi Prince (Image rights) |
4.5×6 folders
- Semi Prince (1934/5–9)
- Semi Lucky (1937–9)
- Semi Sport (1940–3, sold again in 1949 by Nihon Kōki Kōgyō)
- Luck (1951–2)
Others
Other cameras named Prince are often attributed to Fujimoto,[23] but this is not certain. Here is a list:
- Prince, 6.5×9 plate folder
- Prince Peerless, 6.5×9 plate folder
- Pocket Prince, 4×6.5 folder
- Prince Flex, 6×6 TLR
Shutter list
- Rapidex (T, B, 1–300, on the Semi Sport)
- Sport (T, B, 1–300, on the National and Ugein, Semi Rody and Condor folders)
Notes
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history.
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history. Exact address: advertisement dated December 1935 reproduced in Tanimura, p.51 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11, advertisements dated 1937 to 1942 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp.76 and 102, and April 1943 government inquiry. For some reason, Tanimura, p.50 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11, says Minami-ku Hachiman-suji-ura (南区八幡筋裏).
- ↑ The earliest advertisement for the Semi Prince was in the November 1934 issue of Asahi Camera. It is reproduced in Tanimura, p.50 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11.
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history.
- ↑ Tanimura, p.51 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11.
- ↑ Tanimura, p.99 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.12, and p.51 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11 (note 2).
- ↑ Tanimura, p.51 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11.
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history. Produced in the Mukogawa plant: Tanimura, p.51 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11. The Rapidex is mistakenly attributed to Chiyoda, predecessor of Minolta, in the "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras") (shutter item 18-P-27).
- ↑ FT initials of Fujimoto Tōjirō: Tanimura, p.51 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11.
- ↑ Sport made by Fujimoto: "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), shutter item 24-Q-2.
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history.
- ↑ Tanimura, p.51 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.11.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.143.
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history. McKeown, pp.331–2, lists "Fujimoto Camera Works" and "Fujimoto Mfg. Co." as two different companies, but this is a mistake.
- ↑ Fujimoto Camera Works: advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.205.
- ↑ Advertisements dated 1952 and 1954 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp.125 and 205; advertisement published in the October 1955 special issue of Photo Art.
- ↑ Advertisement published in the October 1955 special issue of Photo Art.
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history.
- ↑ Advertisements published in the October and November 1955 special issues of Photo Art, reproduced in this page.
- ↑ Advertisement published in Asahi Camera Annual '60.
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history.
- ↑ Fujimoto official company history.
- ↑ For example in McKeown, pp.331–2.
Bibliography
Original documents
- Asahi Camera Annual '60 (アサヒカメラ年鑑'60). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbun-sha. No ISBN number. Advertisement by Fujimoto Shashinki Seisakusho.
- "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" (国産写真機ノ現状調査, Inquiry into Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. Reproduced in Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: Presentation and use of 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.180–7.
- Photo Art Rinji Zōkan Kamera no Chishiki (臨時増刊カメラの知識, special issue about cameras). October 1955. Advertisement by Fujimoto Shashinki Seisakusho, p.154.
- Photo Art Rinji Zōkan Saishin Supuringu Kamera Zensho (臨時増刊最新スプリングカメラ全書, special issue about folders). November 1955. Advertisement by Fujimoto Shashinki Seisakusho, p.22.
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.
- Kawamata Masataku (川又正卓). "Semi Prince — Luck." In Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: The use of and actual examples from 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.78–80.
- 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.331–2, 572.
- Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Neumann & Heilemann: kieta ashiato, Minoruta setsuritsu to sono ato no karera wo otte" (Neumann & Heilemann 消えた足跡・ミノルタ設立とその後の彼等を追って, On the traces of Neumann & Heilemann at the founding of Minolta and afterwards.) 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.12, October 1988. No ISBN number. Minoruta kamera no subete (ミノルタカメラのすべて, special issue on Minolta). Pp.96–9.
- Tanimura Yoshihiko (谷村吉彦). "Semi Purinsu kara Rakku made — Takahashi Kenzō shi ni kiku." (セミプリンスからラックまで・高橋健三氏にきく, "From the Semi Prince to the Luck — Asking Takahashi Kenzō") 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.11, March 1988. No ISBN number. Shirarezaru kamera (知られざるカメラ, special issue on unknown cameras). Pp.50–1. Based on an interview of Takahashi Kenzō, former CEO of Fujimoto, who entered the company in 1934.
Links
In Japanese:
