Minagawa
Minagawa Shōten (皆川商店) was a Japanese distributor based in Tokyo.[1] From 1929, it marketed the First Hand plate folder, said to be made by Kuribayashi, and it subsequently distributed many cameras made by that company. They were advertised as "made by First Camera Works". it seems that "First Camera Works" was nothing more than a name and logo forged by Minagawa for advertising purpose (see the discussion about the Camera Works endings).[2]
Minagawa was certainly the owner of the "First" brand. After the war, it again made use of the "First Camera Works" logo and distributed the Firstflex 6×6 TLR and First Six 6×6 folder, made by Tokiwa Seiki. Minagawa went bankrupt in 1955.[3]
Distributed cameras
- First Hand (6.5×9cm plate folder)
- First Etui (6.5×9cm plate folder)
- First Roll (6×9cm folder)
- First Center (6×9cm folder)
- Semi First (4.5×6cm folder)
- First Six (6×6cm folder)
- Baby Semi First (4.5×6cm folder)
- Semi Rotte (4.5×6cm folder)
- Molby (3×4cm rangefinder)
- Firstflex (6×6 TLR)
- First Six (6×6 folder)
- Pentaflex (35mm SLR)
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.
- Baird, John R. Collectors guide to Kuribayashi-Petri Cameras. Grantsburg, WI (USA): Centennial Photo Service, 1991. ISBN 0-931838-16-9.
- 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).
