Seves
The Seves (セベス)[1] is a Japanese 4.5×6 folding camera made around 1936. It was probably made by GRC Gōmei-gaisha (also called Ginrei Kōki).
Description
The camera is a strut-folder, with scissor struts on each side of the front standard. The folding optical finder is in the middle of the top plate and its front part folds above the rear one. The advance knob is at the left end of the top plate. There is a small button on the left of the viewfinder, probably used to release the front standard. There is some sort of knob on the right of the viewfinder, whose usage is unknown. The back is hinged to the right and the back latch is covered by a handle.[2] The name GRC is embossed in the front leather.
The lens is fixed-focus, has two elements and f/8 maximal aperture.[3] It was made by the optical section of GRC.[4] The shutter only has Bulb and Instant settings.[5] The shutter plate is marked G.R.C. ordinary at the top and Seves at the bottom.[6]
Advertisements
The Seves was advertised by GRC Gōmei-gaisha in the July 1936 issue of Shashin Salon.[7] It was announced as a new product and the price was ¥17.
The Seves also appeared in a leaflet published by the distributor Ōhashi Takeji Shōten (pictured in this page), presenting various products sold or made by the company, including the Hope, Baby Light and Roll Light Ref cameras.[8]
Only one surviving example has been observed so far, pictured in Sugiyama.[9]
Notes
- ↑ The camera is called "Seves Semi" in Sugiyama, item 4068, apparently by mistake.
- ↑ This handle is missing or broken in the example pictured in Sugiyama, item 4068.
- ↑ Fixed-focus: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 337. Two elements: advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 77. Maximal aperture: undated Ōhashi leaflet. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 337, and Sugiyama, item 4068, mistakenly say that the maximal aperture is f/11.
- ↑ The advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 77, says that "the lens is a meniscus made by the optical section of GRC" (レンズはGRC光学部自慢の単玉付).
- ↑ Undated Ōhashi leaflet.
- ↑ The shutter is called "GRC Original" in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 337, but this is perhaps a mistake.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 77. It is the only advertisement mentioned by Kokusan kamera no rekishi.
- ↑ Undated Ōhashi leaflet.
- ↑ Sugiyama, item 4068.
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. Item 137.
- Ōhashi Takeji Shōten (大橋武治商店). Leaflet for the Hope, Seves, Baby Light, Roll Light Ref, Bosch enlarging lens, Cross filters and Riken hood. Date not indicated. Document partly reproduced in this Flickr album by Rebollo_fr.
- 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 4068.
