Kikōdō
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| Advertisement by Kikōdō in Asahi Camera June 1932. (Image rights) |
Kikōdō (暿光堂) was a Japanese distributor based in Nihonbashi, Tokyo, which was already active in 1932.[1]
In 1934, the company asked Umemoto Kinzaburō (梅本金三郎) to set up a camera plant, that would become Umemoto Seisakusho, founded in 1935.[2] It sold the cameras made by Umemoto until the war.
Kikōdō distributed other cameras as well: in 1935 it was selling Super, Kinka and Peter cameras.[3] It was probably the owner of the brand "Super". In 1939 it was using a KIKODO TOKYO logo.[4]
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| Advertisement by Kikōdō in Ars Camera July 1946. (Image rights) |
Kikōdō survived the war but it became a retailer only and ceased to distribute cameras under its own brand.[5]
Contents
Cameras distributed
- Super and Special Super (6.5×9 plate folders) by an unknown maker that was not Umemoto
- Super Makinet Six (6×6 strut-folder) by Umemoto
- Super Flex Baby (4×4 SLR) by Umemoto
- Semi Makinet (4.5×6 folder) by Umemoto
Cameras sold as authorized dealer
- Wester or Semi Wester (4.5×6 folder) by Nishida
Other
- Super accessory rangefinder (sold ¥15 in 1937)[6]
Notes
- ↑ Its address in 1932 was Nihonbashi-ku Honshirogane-chō (日本橋区本銀町) 3–3; from 1935 to 1946 it was Nihonbashi-ku Kodenma-chō (日本橋区小伝馬町) 1–1. Source: advertisements in Asahi Camera June 1932 (p.A41), in Ars Camera July 1946 (p.3), and advertisements dated December 1935 to March 1941 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp.74–5 and 94.
- ↑ Umemoto company history.
- ↑ Advertisement dated December 1935 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.74.
- ↑ Advertisement dated February 1939 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp.74–5.
- ↑ Private communication to User:Rebollo_fr by Umemoto Akio of Umemoto Seisakusho.
- ↑ Advertisement dated April 1937 for the Super Makinet Six, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.94.
Bibliography
- Ars Camera. Advertisement by Kikōdō in July 1946 (p.3).
- Asahi Camera. Advertisement by Kikōdō in June 1932 (p.A41).
- 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.
Links
In Japanese:
