Moment watch camera
The Moment is a Japanese camera disguised as a pocket watch, perhaps sold in the 1910s by Ueda.[1] It is only known from a single surviving example pictured in Sugiyama.[2] It was patterned after the Ticka watch camera, and is said to take 15×22mm exposures on 17.5mm rollfilm, certainly contained in a cassette similar to that of the Ticka.[3] (This was surely the first application of 17.5mm film in Japan.) The lens and lens cap are disguised as the watch winder. There is a key on the side, certainly used to advance the film. The shutter has B and I settings selected by a sliding lever on the side.
The outside of the watch-case has the name "MOMENT", surrounded by an oval frame containing the words SOLE AGENT T. U. CAMERA CO. The initials "T.U." might stand for Tokyo Ueda.
Notes
Bibliography
- Pritchard, Michael and St. Denny, Douglas. Spy Cameras — A century of detective and subminiature cameras. London: Classic Collection Publications, 1993. ISBN 1-874485-00-3. P.126 (brief mention only).
- 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. Item 5001.
Links
- The Moment is mentioned in this page of miscellany at subclub.org
- The Moment is mentioned in this page about the Ticka and Expo at submin.com
