Montgomery Ward

image by Jeff Durham (Image rights)

Ward's "Wardette" box camera, made by Bilora image by Inspiredphotos (Image rights)

The Montgomery Ward department store chain is reputed to be the first department store to operate by mail order. The company was founded in Chicago in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward. Like other department stores of the 1950s through 1990s such as Sears and Kmart, they sold a variety of photographic equipment such as light meters, flashbulbs, film, lenses, and complete cameras under their own house brand. Their house brand was variously either Ward or Wards until around 1970, at which time they began selling the rebranded items using their full name, Montgomery Ward. After around 1970 they also began selling their better cameras using the original manufacturer's name on the camera rather than rebranding with their house brand.

In the 1950s Montgomery Ward also sold a number of photographic items under another house brand, Adams. Items such as flash units, flashbulbs, and even several complete cameras were sold under the Adams brand name and trademarked logo. However, it appears that this brand was in use for only a short time.

Montgomery Ward carried a variety of very high-end photographic equipment in addition to their medium-range and low-end offerings. Generally, Montgomery Ward sold fewer cameras using their own house brand than their competitors, but sold a wider range of cameras and other photographic equipment using original manufacturers' labeling.

The company was not consistent in its camera branding. For example, their 1948 photographic catalog shows no cameras with Montgomery Ward branding, and lists the Argoflex E under its original manufacturer's name (prior to WWII, this camera was sold as the "Wardflex"). In the 1950s they again sold a new TLR camera with the "Wardflex" branding, this time re-badging a camera made in Japan.

Cameras

• Adams 351
• Adams 352
• Baby Thornward #2
• Long Focus Thornward - 4x5
• Majestic
• Montgomery Model B - 4x5
• MW
• Premium
• Rolfix (made by Franka)
• Thornward Dandy - 4x5

Wards

35mm Rangefinder

• Wards am 450 (rebadged Konica Auto S)
• Wards am 550 (rebadged Konica Auto S)
• Wards am 551 (rebadged Konica Auto S2 "New" or "EL")
• Wards xp 500 (rebadged Konica EE-Matic)
• Wards xp 500a (rebadged Konica EE-Matic S)
• Wards xp 501 (rebadged Konica EE-Matic Deluxe)
• Wards xp 501a (rebadged Konica EE-Matic Deluxe New)

35mm Viewfinder

Ward 35 image by Scott Cog (Image rights)

• Photrix Stereo (rebadged Iloca Stereo II
• Ward 35 re-badged Beauty 35 by Taiyōdō
• Wards 35-EE
• Wards I-A (rebadged Adox Polo 1S)
• Wards II-A
• Wards III-A (rebadged Adox Polomatic 3S)
• Wards ep 504 Electric
• Wards Eye (Konica Eye) half-frame
• Wards x100 (Adox Golf I?)
• Wards xe200
• Wards xp400 (Konica EE-Matic S)

SLR

• Wards SLR 500 (Made by Yashica but not identical to any Yashica cameras; similar to J-P but with some features from Penta J)
• Wards SLR 600 (Made by Yashica but not identical to any Yashica cameras; similar to the relatively rare J-4 but with some features from the J-3)
• Wards SLR 700 (Konica FP)

Bakelite Wardflex (Argoflex E) image by Stephen Dowle (Image rights)

TLR

• Wardflex (Bakelite, pre WWII)
• Wardflex and Wardflex II (metal) 1950s, re-badged Japanese TLR by Taiyōdō

110 cameras

• Montgomery Ward 688

126 cameras

• Wards Autoflash 100
• Wards Autoflash 300 (Keystone)
• Wards cp301 (Konica EE-Matic 260)
• Wards cp302
• Wards x 42c

127 Cameras

• Wards 24 (Mercury Satellite 127)
• Wards 25 (Mercury Satellite 127)

Box

• Wardette (similar to Bilora Stahl-Box)

Links

About Us page at Montgomery Ward company site