Spartus
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| Falcon Miniature image by John Kratz (Image rights) |
The Utility Manufacturing Company was founded in New York in 1934[1], and offered several camera lines[2], including folding cameras and box cameras. But it is most associated with the brand Falcon and a line of "half frame" 3×4 cm cameras for 127 film—for example, the Falcon Miniature. These were molded bakelite cameras in an eye-level style quickly becoming popular in other "minicams" of the day, such as the Argus A.
In 1941 Utility was bought by Spartus Corp., and moved West to Chicago, Illinois[3]. Spartus was one of several companies owned by successful Chicago businessman Jack Galter, and also manufactured clocks and razors. Previous and new camera lines then appeared under the branding Spartus[4]. Many of these models were molded plastic with distinctive styling.
Spartus is at the center of a confusing constellation of camera brands, many of which originated from same location at 711–715 W. Lake St. in Chicago. These include Monarck, Falcon Camera Co., Spencer and others. (In some 1940s advertising, "The Spencer Company" is given as the distributor of Spartus cameras.[5])
In 1951 Spartus' head of sales, Harold Rubin, bought the company and renamed it Herold Mfg. Co. while continuing to brand cameras as Spartus[6]. Around this time, former Spartus president Jack Galter briefly sold some former Spartus models through his Galter Products Co. Around 1960 the Herold Mfg. Co. returned to the name Spartus Corporation.
Cameras
New York: Utility Mfg. Co.
- Carlton Reflex
- Falcon (Bakelite) with metal lens mount surround
- Falcon (folding)
- Falcon Flex
- Falcon Junior (folding bakelite)
- Falcon Junior 16 (Box)
- Falcon Magni-Vue (pseudo TLR)
- Falcon Midget 16 (box)
- Falcon Minette
- Falcon Miniature
- Falcon Minicam Junior
- Falcon Minicam Senior
- Falcon Model Four
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| Distinctive Regal Flash Master, originated 1939 as Falcon Press Flash by Utility Manufacturing Co. Also sold as Spartus Press Flash & Galter Press Flash. image by Steve Harwood (Image rights) |
- Falcom Model F & Model FE
- Falcon Model G & Model GE
- Falcon Model V-16
- Falcon Press Flash
- Falcon Rocket
- Falcon Special
- Falcon-Abbey Electricamera
Chicago: Spartus
- Cinex (Chicago)
- Spartus Box Cameras for 116, 116/616, 120, and 620 film
- Spartus 120 Flash Camera (bakelite)
- Spartus 35 & Spartus 35F
- Spartus Folding Camera (bakelite 127) including Spartus Junior Model
- Spartus No. 4 (folding) for 120 film (Also sold as No. 1?)
- Spartus Co-Flash
- Spartus Full-Vue
- Spartus Press Flash
- Spartus Rocket (1960s)
- Spartus Six Twenty
- Spartus Spartaflex
- Spartus Super R-I
- Spartus Vanguard
- Spartus Vest Pocket (folding)
Notes
- ↑ McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). Pages 941–943
- ↑ An advertisement from May 1940 gives the address of Utility Manufacturing Co., Inc. as 40 West 25th St., New York NY.
- ↑ For example, here is a Falcon minicam branded "Utility Mfg. Co., Chicago U.S.A.," from Wayne Violette on Flickr.
- ↑ An example is this November 1946 ad from Popular Photography (Vol. 19, No. 5) page 31. The Spartus camera brand certainly was used following WWII, but perhaps earlier.
- ↑ Spartus advertisement, Popular Photography magazine, August 1947 (Vol. 21, No. 2) page 12.
- ↑ The Herold Products manual for the Spartus 620 shows an address of 2110 W. Walnut, Chicago. The Spartus address of 715 W. Lake St. is a couple of miles east of this.
Links
- Spartus at OneTwoSeven.org
- Herold cameras, Spartus cameras and Utility cameras at www.collection-appareils.fr
| Companies of Chicago (Illinois) |
| Adams & Westlake | Central Camera Co. | American Advertising and Research Co. | Bernard | Burke & James | Busch | Calumet | Candid | Chicago Aerial | Chicago Camera Co. | Chicago Ferrotype Company | Deardorff | De Vry | Drucker | Galter | Geiss | Herold | Imperial | Kemper | Lennor Engineering Co. | Metropolitan Industries | Monarch | Montgomery Ward | Pho-Tak | QRS Company | Rolls | Sans & Streiffe | Sears | Seymour | Spartus | The Camera Man | United States Camera Co. | Western Camera Manufacturing Co. | Yale | Zar | Zenith |
| Chicago in depth: The Chicago Cluster, a bakelite trust? |
