Nippon Kōki
Nihon Kōki K.K. (日本光機㈱, meaning Japan Optics Co., Ltd.) was a Japanese camera maker. Before and during the war it made the Well cameras distributed by Misuzu Shōkai. In 1943 it was based in Tokyo, Yodobashi.[1]
After the war, a company called Nihon Kōki Kōgyō K.K. (日本光機工業㈱) and based in Osaka advertised the Semi Sport camera and the Lucky enlarger in 1949.[2] These products were made before and during the war by Fujimoto. It is not known if it was related to the prewar and wartime Nihon Kōki.
This company was later called simply Nihon Kōki K.K. (日本光機㈱) and released cameras called Silverflex and Silver Six in 1953 and 1954. It was still based at the same address and had subsidiary plants in Tokyo and Osaka.[3] It is said that it made a series of enlargers called Lucky Silver before making the cameras.[4]
It seems that the company moved to its Tokyo, Setagaya plant in 1955 and made the Calm Six.[5] It is said that it went bankrupt in July, 1957.[6]
A company called Nippon Kōki Kōgyō K.K. (日本光機工業㈱) exists today (2007) and makes parts for lighthouses since 1919.[7] It is based in Kawasaki and is probably not related to the above companies.
Contents
127 film
- Well Standard (4×5)
120 film
- Well Super (4.5×6)
- Calm J (6×6 folding rangefinder)
- Silver Super Six (6×6 folding rangefinder)
Notes
- ↑ Its address in 1943 was Tōkyō-to Yodobashi-ku Higashi-Ōkubo 2–306 (東京都淀橋区東大久保2–306). Source: "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), listing the Japanese camera production as of April 1943.
- ↑ Its address was Ōsaka-shi Minami-ku Junkei 2-chōme (大阪市南区順慶二丁目). Source: advertisement dated September 1949 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 143.
- ↑ In addition to the main plant in Osaka, Junkei, advertisements dated 1953 and 1954 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 140, list a plant in Osaka, Imazato (大阪・今里) and another in Tokyo, Setagaya (東京・世田ヶ谷).
- ↑ Lewis, p. 82.
- ↑ Its address was Tōkyō-to Setagaya-ku Daita 1–748 (東京都世田ヶ谷区代田1–748). Source: advertisement dated August 1955 reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 131.
- ↑ Lewis, p. 104.
- ↑ According to its official website.
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.
- "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" (国産写真機ノ現状調査, Inquiry into Japanese cameras), listing Japanese camera production as of April 1943. Reproduced in Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no shōkai to tsukaikata (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の紹介と使い方, Let's try spring cameras: Presentation and use of 69 machines). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4-87956-072-3. Pp.180–7.
- 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). Pp. 82 and 104.
