Lily (original)

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The Lily (リリー) are Japanese plate folders made by Rokuoh-sha, the manufacturing branch of Konishi or Konishiroku (predecessors of Konica). This page is about the models made before the introduction of a metal body in 1930. These models exist in meishi, tefuda and hagaki size.

For the later metal models, see Lily (metal).

The vertical model

The original model was called Lily Portable Camera (リリー手提暗函), then Lily No.1 (リリー壹號) after the introduction of the No.2. It is a vertical folder, only known in tefuda-size (8×10.5cm) and reportedly introduced in January 1909.

Description

The vertical Lily has a mixed construction with a wooden main body and a metal folding bed. The bellows have double extension, driven by a knob on the photographer's right. The front standard is made of various metal parts assembled together, instead of the single U-shaped part found on later models. It allows vertical and horizontal movements. There is a brilliant finder atop the left branch of the front standard, and a bubble level is attached next to it. The name Lily is inscribed on a round plate attached to the left-hand side of the body.

Commercial life

Various lens and shutter combinations were offered in 1909 for the Lily Portable Camera:

• Goerz Dagor Ser.III No.0 lens, Compound shutter, ¥120;
• Simili (シミリア) Anastigmat, Koilos shutter, (¥65);
• Universal Rapid lens, Auto shutter, ¥50.

A black leather case was offered for ¥3.50. No more detail is given about the Simili Anastigmat lens and the Auto shutter. One source also mentions Zeiss Protar and Tessar lenses, and says that a Rodenstock Extra Rapid Aplanat was introduced in 1912.

The vertical model was still advertised in 1922 as the Lily No.1, along with the horizontal Lily No.2. The camera presented in the illustration is indistinguishable from the model pictured in the 1909 advertisement. The following versions are listed, but no price is given:

• Voltas f/8 lens, Victo shutter;
• Idea Anastigmat f/7.5 lens, Victo shutter;
• Velostigmat No.4 f/6.3 lens, Auto shutter;
• Collinear f/6.3 lens, Compur shutter.

Bibliography

• Kikuoka Sei (菊岡清). "Konica history 3. Meiji 41-nen – Taishō 12-nen." (Konica history 3. 明治41年–大正12年. From Meiji year 41 (1908) to Taishō year 12 (1923).) 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.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.24–32.
• 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.23–4.
• 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.538 and 543.
• 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 1177–22.
• Tanaka Yoshirō (田中芳郎). "Meiji–Taishō jidai no Konishi Honten no kamera wo shiru tame no hon" (明治・大正時代の小西本店のカメラを知るための本, Books about the Konishi Honten cameras of the Meiji and Taishō eras). 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.10, September 1987. No ISBN number. Konishiroku kamera no rekishi (小西六カメラの歴史, special issue on Konishiroku). Pp.92–4.

Links

In Japanese:

• Special Lily and Neat Lily at Asacame
• Wooden Lily in the Junk Binbō blog
• Lily no.2 and more pictures in Miyazawa Noriyuki's camera site
• Pages of the R. Konishi Rokuoh-sha website:
  • Lily cameras
  • Advertisement for the 1909 Lily Portable Camera
  • Lily Portable Camera, Lily No.2, Special Lily and Neat Lily in the camera list