Tokiwa Kōgaku
Tokiwa Kōgaku Kōgyō Y.K. (常盤光学工業有限会社) was a Japanese company. (Tokiwa means "everlasting" or "evergreen", and it is also a faily common family name in Japan.)
Camera maker
Tokiwa Kōgaku was based in Tokyo, Toshima and its name appears in 1942 and 1943 advertisements for the Zeitax II and III.[1] The company was listed in the "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras") at the same address as Motodori Kōgaku Kikai Kōgyō-sho, and there is obviously a relation. See also the discussion in the Zeitax page.
Lenses and shutters
Tokiwa Kōgaku supplied lenses and shutters to Kuribayashi. Known examples are the following:
- Hit-Rapid shutter, T, B, 1–500 speeds (on the Baby Semi First, First Reflex and Semi Rotte by Kuribayashi);[2]
- First 75/2.9 lens, four elements (on the Semi First and First Six);[3]
- First 75/3.5 lens, three elements (on the Semi First, BB Semi First, First Six and Semi Rotte);[4]
- First 75/4.5 lens, three elements (on the Semi First, BB Semi First, First Six, Baby Semi First, BB Baby Semi First and Semi Rotte);[5]
- Rotte 60/3.5 lens, three elements (on the Molby);[6]
- Rotte 75/3.5 lens, three elements (on the BB Semi First and Semi Rotte);[7]
- Tokiwa 75/3.5 lens, four elements (on the First Reflex II).[8]
Other Tokiwa
It is also said that the much earlier Tokiwa Hand was made by Kuribayashi for Tokiwa Kōgaku,[9] but the name similartiy is perhaps a mere coincidence.
It is unknown if Tokiwa Kōgaku was related with Tokiwa Seiki which made the First Six and Firstflex postwar cameras. A company called K.K. Tokiwa Kōgaku (㈱ときわ光学) exists today (2007) but it was founded in 1956.[10]
Notes
- ↑ Its address was Tōkyō-shi Toshima-ku Ikebukuro 1–606 (東京市豊島区池袋１の606). Source: advertisement dated September 1942, reproduced in the Gochamaze website, advertisement dated February 1943, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 73, and "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), listing the Japanese camera production as of April 1943.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), shutter item 18-R-1.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item La2.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item La2.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item La2.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item K5.
- ↑ "Kokusan shashinki no genjōchōsa" ("Inquiry into Japanese cameras"), lens item La2.
- ↑ Advertisement reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 88.
- ↑ Baird, pp. 15 and 57; McKeown, p. 576.
- ↑ See 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. Items 117–9.
- Baird, John R. Collectors guide to Kuribayashi-Petri Cameras. Grantsburg, WI (USA): Centennial Photo Service, 1991. ISBN 0-931838-16-9.
- "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.
- 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). Pp. 576 and 701.
Links
In Japanese:
- Advertisement for the Zeitax II and III published in the 23 September 1942 issue of Asahi Graph, reproduced in the Japanese camera page of the Gochamaze website
