Monarch (Sone)

From Camera-wiki.org
Revision as of 22:47, 17 April 2008 by Rebollo fr (talk | contribs) (nav template)
Jump to: navigation, search
Japanese plate strut-folding cameras (edit)
No.0 (4×5cm) CH
atom (4.5×6cm) Idea Spring
meishi (5.5×8cm) Minimum Idea | Korok
daimeishi (6.5×9cm) Idea Spring | Minolta | Auto Minolta | Auto Press Minolta | Nifca-Dox | Vester Klapp
tefuda (8×10.5cm) Focal Happy | Idea Spring | Idea Telephoto
10×15cm Kongo Press
kabine (12×16.5cm) Idea Spring | Idea Telephoto
Japanese plate film: monocular, box, folding bed and SLR ->
3×4 and 4×4, 4×5 and 4×6.5, 4.5×6, 6×6 and 6×9 ->

The Monarch (モナーク) is a Japanese 4.5×6cm plate folder, distributed by Sone Shunsuidō in the late 1920s.[1]

The only picture of the Monarch observed so far is a small illustration taken from an advertisement or catalogue.[2] The camera is a copy of the Duchessa (bed-type) or Sonnet 4.5×6cm models by Contessa-Nettel. It has a vertical shape, with scissor struts and a folding bed.

The advertisement or catalogue entry says that the camera has an all metal body covered with grained morocco leather, and also mentions lever focusing, certainly the same as on the Duchessa. A focusing lever is indeed faintly visible inside the folding bed.

There is a brilliant finder at the top of the front standard, on the photographer's left, and a wireframe finder with a simple eyepiece retracting in the rear body. The top of the front standard is reinforced by some sort of bridge, also serving as a nameplate, apparently inscribed Monarch.

The camera has a Modelar Anastigmat f/4.5 lens, and was supplied with six single-sided plate holders and one film pack holder, at the price of ¥78.

Bibliography

The Monarch is not listed in Sugiyama.

  1. Distributed by Sone Shunsuidō: Lewis, p.44.
  2. Extract from an advertisement or catalogue reproduced in Morishita, p.70 of Kurashikku Kamera Senka no.22.