Difference between revisions of "Lustre"

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'''K.K. Lustre Camera''' ({{kabu}}ラスターカメラ, ''Rasutā Kamera'') was a Japanese camera maker in the mid-1950s. Its main address in early 1955 was Setagaya-ku Matsubara-chō (世田ヶ谷区松原町) 1&ndash;42 in Tokyo and the address of the plant was Shimoochiai (下落合) 353 in Yono (a city which was recently merged into Saitama).<REF> Source: advertisements dated April and May 1955, reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;204. The full address in Yono was Saitama-ken Kita-Adachi-gun Yono-chō Shimoochiai (埼玉県北足立郡与野町) 353. </REF> The Tokyo address soon became the company's Tokyo service station, and the headquarters moved to the Yono address.<REF> Source: advertisement dated June 1955 reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;205. </REF> The company perhaps changed its name to '''Lustre Kōki K.K.''' (ラスター光機{{kabu}}) in 1956.<REF> This name is given in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;413 (item 1749) for the Lustreflex M. </REF>
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'''K.K. Lustre Camera''' ({{kabu}}ラスターカメラ, ''Rasutā Kamera'') was a Japanese camera maker in the mid-1950s. Its main address in early 1955 was Setagaya-ku Matsubara-chō (世田ヶ谷区松原町) 1–42 in Tokyo and the address of the plant was Shimoochiai (下落合) 353 in Yono (a city which was recently merged into Saitama).<REF> Source: advertisements dated April and May 1955, reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.204. The full address in Yono was Saitama-ken Kita-Adachi-gun Yono-chō Shimoochiai (埼玉県北足立郡与野町) 353. </REF> The Tokyo address soon became the company's Tokyo service station, and the headquarters moved to the Yono address.<REF> Source: advertisement dated June 1955 reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.205. </REF> The company perhaps changed its name to '''Lustre Kōki K.K.''' (ラスター光機{{kabu}}) in 1956.<REF> This name is given in {{Kokusan}}, p.413 (item 1749) for the Lustreflex M. </REF>
  
 
The company made the [[Lustreflex]] TLR cameras and perhaps some versions of the [[Elegaflex]] and [[Echoflex]]. It also certainly made the Lustre and Lustre-Rapid shutters mounted on some of these cameras. The company's logo was the name ''Lustre'' written inside a doublet lens scheme.
 
The company made the [[Lustreflex]] TLR cameras and perhaps some versions of the [[Elegaflex]] and [[Echoflex]]. It also certainly made the Lustre and Lustre-Rapid shutters mounted on some of these cameras. The company's logo was the name ''Lustre'' written inside a doublet lens scheme.
  
It seems that the company was renamed '''Hara''' after its president Hara Giichi, at some time between 1958 and 1961, with a similar address: Shimoochiai 461 in Yono (Saitama); the [[Halma 6&times;6 TLR|Halma Flex, Halma Auto]] and [[Halma 44]], as well as their Prinz and Tower name variants, are attributed to Hara, and all trace seems lost after 1964.<REF> All this is reported by Koji Namikawa in [http://www.tlr-cameras.com/Japanese/index.html this page at tlr-cameras.com], based on documents about the camera inspections for export. </REF> The full name was perhaps '''Hara Seisakusho''', and the initials "H.S." are found on the accessory shoe of the [[Halma 6&times;6 TLR|Prinz Auto]].<REF> The message by Koji Namikawa says "Hara Factory Ltd", perhaps a translation of "Hara Seisakusho". </REF>
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It seems that the company was renamed '''Hara''' after its president Hara Giichi, at some time between 1958 and 1961, with a similar address: Shimoochiai 461 in Yono (Saitama); the [[Halma 6×6 TLR|Halma Flex, Halma Auto]] and [[Halma 44]], as well as their Prinz and Tower name variants, are attributed to Hara, and all trace seems lost after 1964.<REF> All this is reported by Koji Namikawa in [http://www.tlr-cameras.com/Japanese/index.html this page at tlr-cameras.com], based on documents about the camera inspections for export. </REF> The full name was perhaps '''Hara Seisakusho''', and the initials "H.S." are found on the accessory shoe of the [[Halma 6×6 TLR|Prinz Auto]].<REF> The message by Koji Namikawa says "Hara Factory Ltd", perhaps a translation of "Hara Seisakusho". </REF>
  
 
== Camera list ==
 
== Camera list ==
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|}
 
|}
 
Made by Hara:
 
Made by Hara:
* [[Halma 6&times;6 TLR|Halma Flex, Prinz Flex and Prinz Auto]]
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* [[Halma 6×6 TLR|Halma Flex, Prinz Flex and Prinz Auto]]
* [[Halma 6&times;6 TLR|Halma Auto]]
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* [[Halma 6×6 TLR|Halma Auto]]
 
* [[Halma 44|Halma 44, Prinz 44 and Tower 44B]]
 
* [[Halma 44|Halma 44, Prinz 44 and Tower 44B]]
 
{{br}}
 
{{br}}
 +
Other cameras equipped with a Lustre shutter:
 +
* [[Gotex and Poppy Six|Poppy Six II]] (isolated example)
 
== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==
 
<references />
 
<references />
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== Links ==
 
== Links ==
* [http://www.tlr-cameras.com/Japanese/index.html Other Japanese TLRs] at Barry Toogood's [http://www.tlr-cameras.com/ tlr-cameras.com], including a discussion of the Halma models
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In English:
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* [http://www.tlr-cameras.com/Japanese/Halma.html Halma and Prinz TLRs] at Barry Toogood's [http://www.tlr-cameras.com/ tlr-cameras.com]
  
 
[[Category: Japanese camera makers]]
 
[[Category: Japanese camera makers]]
 
[[Category: Japanese shutter makers]]
 
[[Category: Japanese shutter makers]]

Revision as of 12:46, 18 July 2009

K.K. Lustre Camera (㈱ラスターカメラ, Rasutā Kamera) was a Japanese camera maker in the mid-1950s. Its main address in early 1955 was Setagaya-ku Matsubara-chō (世田ヶ谷区松原町) 1–42 in Tokyo and the address of the plant was Shimoochiai (下落合) 353 in Yono (a city which was recently merged into Saitama).[1] The Tokyo address soon became the company's Tokyo service station, and the headquarters moved to the Yono address.[2] The company perhaps changed its name to Lustre Kōki K.K. (ラスター光機㈱) in 1956.[3]

The company made the Lustreflex TLR cameras and perhaps some versions of the Elegaflex and Echoflex. It also certainly made the Lustre and Lustre-Rapid shutters mounted on some of these cameras. The company's logo was the name Lustre written inside a doublet lens scheme.

It seems that the company was renamed Hara after its president Hara Giichi, at some time between 1958 and 1961, with a similar address: Shimoochiai 461 in Yono (Saitama); the Halma Flex, Halma Auto and Halma 44, as well as their Prinz and Tower name variants, are attributed to Hara, and all trace seems lost after 1964.[4] The full name was perhaps Hara Seisakusho, and the initials "H.S." are found on the accessory shoe of the Prinz Auto.[5]

Camera list

Made by Lustre:


Made by Hara:


Other cameras equipped with a Lustre shutter:

Notes

  1. Source: advertisements dated April and May 1955, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.204. The full address in Yono was Saitama-ken Kita-Adachi-gun Yono-chō Shimoochiai (埼玉県北足立郡与野町) 353.
  2. Source: advertisement dated June 1955 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.205.
  3. This name is given in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.413 (item 1749) for the Lustreflex M.
  4. All this is reported by Koji Namikawa in this page at tlr-cameras.com, based on documents about the camera inspections for export.
  5. The message by Koji Namikawa says "Hara Factory Ltd", perhaps a translation of "Hara Seisakusho".

Bibliography

Links

In English: