Difference between revisions of "Misuzu Shōkai"
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| − | '''Misuzu Shōkai''' (i.e. Misuzu Trading Company) was a Japanese distributor. It was founded on June 1st, 1922 as simply '''Misuzu Shōkai''' (美篶商会) and became '''K.K. Misuzu Shōkai''' ({{kabu}}美篶商会) on May 16th, 1936.<REF> [http://web.archive.org/web/20040611010640/www.misuzu.gr.jp/enkaku.htm Chronology] of the Misuzu official website (web archive version Sep 24, 2004). </REF> It was based in Tokyo, Ginza<REF> Its address from 1939 to 1944 was Tōkyō-shi Kyōbashi-ku Ginza 8-chōme (東京市京橋区銀座八丁目). Source: advertisements reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, pp. | + | {| class="plainlinks floatright" width=200px style="text-align: center;" |
| + | || [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/2171674742/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2108/2171674742_339aaf86d0_m_d.jpg] | ||
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| + | || ''Misuzu Shōkai and ''MSZ'' logo (1932). {{public domain Japan old}}'' | ||
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| + | '''Misuzu Shōkai''' (i.e. Misuzu Trading Company) was a Japanese distributor. It was founded on June 1st, 1922 as simply '''Misuzu Shōkai''' (美篶商会) and became '''K.K. Misuzu Shōkai''' ({{kabu}}美篶商会) on May 16th, 1936.<REF> [http://web.archive.org/web/20040611010640/www.misuzu.gr.jp/enkaku.htm Chronology] of the Misuzu official website (web archive version Sep 24, 2004). </REF> It was based in Tokyo, Ginza<REF> Its address from 1939 to 1944 was Tōkyō-shi Kyōbashi-ku Ginza 8-chōme (東京市京橋区銀座八丁目). Source: advertisements reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, pp.96 and 102. </REF> and distributed cameras from 1936 to 1944, then again from 1947 to the early 1950s. It sold a number of cameras under its own brands, and it perhaps made some cameras as well: it is said that the Midget subminiature was manufactured by the company.<REF> [http://web.archive.org/web/20040430011030/www.misuzu.gr.jp/kamera.htm Midget page] of the Misuzu official website (web archive version Sep 24, 2004). </REF> | ||
On June 24th, 1965, it changed its name again to '''Misuzu Shōkai K.K.''' (美スズ商会{{kabu}}, abandoning the ''kanji'' character, whose reading is hard to guess).<REF> [http://web.archive.org/web/20040611010640/www.misuzu.gr.jp/enkaku.htm Chronology] of the Misuzu official website (web archive version Sep 24, 2004). </REF> The company was still in existence in 2004. | On June 24th, 1965, it changed its name again to '''Misuzu Shōkai K.K.''' (美スズ商会{{kabu}}, abandoning the ''kanji'' character, whose reading is hard to guess).<REF> [http://web.archive.org/web/20040611010640/www.misuzu.gr.jp/enkaku.htm Chronology] of the Misuzu official website (web archive version Sep 24, 2004). </REF> The company was still in existence in 2004. | ||
== Cameras sold by Misuzu Shōkai under its own name == | == Cameras sold by Misuzu Shōkai under its own name == | ||
| − | * [[Vest Alex and Vest Olympic|Vest Alex]] ( | + | * [[Vest Alex and Vest Olympic|Vest Alex]] (4×6.5, 1936–8), later sold by [[Ricoh|Riken]] as the [[Vest Alex and Vest Olympic|Vest Olympic]] |
* Midget (1937) | * Midget (1937) | ||
| − | * Romax 6. | + | * Romax 6.5×9cm plate folder (1938) |
* New Midget (1939, again in 1947) | * New Midget (1939, again in 1947) | ||
| − | * New Midget II f | + | * New Midget II f/4.5 (1940) |
* [[Seica and Andes Four|Andes Four]] (1941) | * [[Seica and Andes Four|Andes Four]] (1941) | ||
| − | * [[Semi Lead]] (4. | + | * [[Semi Lead]] (4.5×6 folder, 1941–4) |
The website of the company said that the Midget was made by Misuzu itself. | The website of the company said that the Midget was made by Misuzu itself. | ||
| Line 18: | Line 23: | ||
* [[Well Standard]] and [[Well Super]] by [[Nihon Kōki]] | * [[Well Standard]] and [[Well Super]] by [[Nihon Kōki]] | ||
* [[Olympus Standard]] and [[Semi Olympus II]] by [[Olympus|Takachiho]] (Misuzu was an authorized dealer) | * [[Olympus Standard]] and [[Semi Olympus II]] by [[Olympus|Takachiho]] (Misuzu was an authorized dealer) | ||
| − | * [[Romax ( | + | * [[Romax (6×6)]] (Misuzu was an authorized dealer) |
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
Revision as of 11:05, 6 January 2008
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| Misuzu Shōkai and MSZ logo (1932). (Image rights) |
Misuzu Shōkai (i.e. Misuzu Trading Company) was a Japanese distributor. It was founded on June 1st, 1922 as simply Misuzu Shōkai (美篶商会) and became K.K. Misuzu Shōkai (㈱美篶商会) on May 16th, 1936.[1] It was based in Tokyo, Ginza[2] and distributed cameras from 1936 to 1944, then again from 1947 to the early 1950s. It sold a number of cameras under its own brands, and it perhaps made some cameras as well: it is said that the Midget subminiature was manufactured by the company.[3]
On June 24th, 1965, it changed its name again to Misuzu Shōkai K.K. (美スズ商会㈱, abandoning the kanji character, whose reading is hard to guess).[4] The company was still in existence in 2004.
Contents
Cameras sold by Misuzu Shōkai under its own name
- Vest Alex (4×6.5, 1936–8), later sold by Riken as the Vest Olympic
- Midget (1937)
- Romax 6.5×9cm plate folder (1938)
- New Midget (1939, again in 1947)
- New Midget II f/4.5 (1940)
- Andes Four (1941)
- Semi Lead (4.5×6 folder, 1941–4)
The website of the company said that the Midget was made by Misuzu itself.
Other cameras distributed by Misuzu Shōkai
- Alpenflex by Hachiyō Kōgaku Kōgyō
- Semi Leotax by Shōwa Kōgaku (prewar and wartime period)
- Well Standard and Well Super by Nihon Kōki
- Olympus Standard and Semi Olympus II by Takachiho (Misuzu was an authorized dealer)
- Romax (6×6) (Misuzu was an authorized dealer)
Notes
- ↑ Chronology of the Misuzu official website (web archive version Sep 24, 2004).
- ↑ Its address from 1939 to 1944 was Tōkyō-shi Kyōbashi-ku Ginza 8-chōme (東京市京橋区銀座八丁目). Source: advertisements reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp.96 and 102.
- ↑ Midget page of the Misuzu official website (web archive version Sep 24, 2004).
- ↑ Chronology of the Misuzu official website (web archive version Sep 24, 2004).
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.
Links
In Japanese:
- A web archive version (Sep 24, 2004) of the Misuzu Shōkai corporate site, which is currently (June 2006) offline. There is a company presentation, with a chronology (important source for this page) and the history of Misuzu's name, and a page presenting a Midget camera. (If the text is garbled rather than Japanese, switch the encoding to Shift-JIS.)
