T.Y.O.W.

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The acronym T.Y.O.W. corresponds to a Japanese lens maker based in Tokyo, whose full name is currently unknown.[1] It made Taiyo-Anastigmat barrel lenses for large format cameras. These are usually marked T.Y.O.W. TOKYO TAIYO–Anastigmat.[2] The brand name certainly comes from the word taiyō (太陽), which means "sun" in Japanese.

The Taiyo lenses were already existing in 1941.[3] They were made by a relative of Mr. Yamasaki, founder of Yamasaki Kōgaku Kenkyūsho and maker of the Congo lenses.[4]

List of known Taiyo-Anastigmat lenses:

  • 18cm f/4.5[5]
  • 21cm f/4.5[6]
  • 21cm f/6.3[7]
  • 21cm f/6.8 (reported only)[8]
  • 25cm f/4.5[9]
  • 30cm f/6.3 (reported only)[10]




Notes

  1. Probably Taiyo Yamasaki Optical Works
  2. Some lenses with higher serial numbers are marked "TOKYO TAIYO-ANASTIGMAT" with 'MADE IN JAPAN" on aperture ring (Source: FLICKR).
  3. An advertisement by Kuwata in Asahi Camera April 1941 mentions the Taiyo as one of the lenses onto which one could attach the Bimagon wide-angle attachment.
  4. Taiyo-Anastigmat at Leica Virgin.
  5. Example seen in an online auction.
  6. Marked: T.Y.O.W. TOKYO TAIYO-Anastigmat: sn#3161 Photographica Collection Dirk HR Spennemann.—sn#3177 online sale at sy916.net (2011); sn#3863 (thaidphoto forum); sn#7202 (Russian site).
       Marked: TOKYO TAIYO-ANASTIGMAT: sn#69138 marked 'MADE IN JAPAN" on aperture ring (Source: FLICKR).
  7. T.Y.O.W. TOKYO TAIYO-Anastigmat: sn#1353 Photographica Collection Dirk HR Spennemann.—sn#5522 observed in an online auction (eBay August 2012), mounted on an Asanuma field camera;
  8. Lens reported in this thread at mformat.com.
  9. Example observed in an online auction. See also Pleasure Classic lenses (in Japanese) and same site.
  10. Wooden camera retailed by Western India Photographic Agency, Bombay, reportedly having a Taiyo-Anastigmat 30cm f/6.3, sold as lot no.1515 on 11 December 2007 by Rosebery's.

Bibliography

Links

In Japanese:

In Russian: