Ansco Memo questions.

I just received a beautiful, almost mint, Ansco Memo camera from Germany that I would like to be able to identify a little better. I can not find anything on the internet that depicts this ones particular configuration.
Rather than a metal plate saying ANSCO on the front, it has a plate that says MEMO. There is no designation on the shutter or lens for identification other than, 'ILEX ANSCO BINGHAMTON.. It has an unknown fixed aperature and a single speed shutter labeled, 'INST' and 'TIME'. Below that marking it says, 'READY SET MEMO'. The patent is by Agfa Ansco and in addition to the USA Patents, it lists a Canadian Patent 1929. The proprietary cartridges inside are the very early square variety.

What really throws me is the single speed shutter and fixed aperature. I can't find any mention of cameras with that configuration.
Can anyone shed any light on this version of Ansco Memo? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

Funny that you in the US got your sample from Germany. I never ever even saw an Ansco Memo...

OptiKen said:

I just received a beautiful, almost mint, Ansco Memo camera from Germany that I would like to be able to identify a little better. I can not find anything on the internet that depicts this ones particular configuration.
Rather than a metal plate saying ANSCO on the front, it has a plate that says MEMO. There is no designation on the shutter or lens for identification other than, 'ILEX ANSCO BINGHAMTON.. It has an unknown fixed aperature and a single speed shutter labeled, 'INST' and 'TIME'. Below that marking it says, 'READY SET MEMO'. The patent is by Agfa Ansco and in addition to the USA Patents, it lists a Canadian Patent 1929. The proprietary cartridges inside are the very early square variety.

What really throws me is the single speed shutter and fixed aperature. I can't find any mention of cameras with that configuration.
Can anyone shed any light on this version of Ansco Memo? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

Click to expand...

OptiKen said:

View attachment 166750

Click to expand...

You might consider asking about this in the Ansco/Agfa Camera Fans or the Vintage Camera Collectors group on Facebook. The "Memo" badging came towards the end of the series, but the Readyset shutter variation is something that I have not seen before.

Agfa in Germany and Ansco in Binghampton, NY, had a working relationship for a very long time and made and sold nearly identical lines of cameras. This is a simpler model of what McKeon's calls the "1927-type" of Memo. It doesn't specifically detail the lines, but says there were a range from very simple shutter/lens (this one) to "better" models with more adjustments and even, in one case, focus.

The shutter release guard marks this as a later one, although I don't know how long the series was made. If you have the film cassettes, load up and shoot -- you just shove a couple feet of film in one while in the darkroom, then with the lights on start the end in the second, put both in the camera with the film one on top, close the back, fire three blanks, and shoot away.

When the film is done it will leave a bit hanging out of the lower cassette ... just pull it out and process. If the cassettes are tight fitting into the camera, give the ends a whack on the table to push them onto the can a bit tighter and they'll fit. With a fix lens/shutter, I'd shoot asa 100 film in daylight.

Thanks Summicron1, for the detailed response. I do have both square cassettes so I will be loading it with film and shooting away. I am going to try to develop the film that is already in it first, although there is maybe only a 1% chance of getting anything out of it. I will need to glue the felt light guard back into one of the cassettes first.
I hope I remember how to use a true 'point and shoot'. LOL

summicron1 said:

Agfa in Germany and Ansco in Binghampton, NY, had a working relationship for a very long time and made and sold nearly identical lines of cameras.

Click to expand...

They did not make the same/similar cameras. They were either made in the USA by the Ansco camera works or in Munich by the Agfa camera works. The latter were also marketed in the USA under the Ansco brand.

This particular Memo was made in Binghampton, NY.

OptiKen said:

View attachment 166750

Click to expand...

Can you send pictures of the serial numbers on the inside of the memo bottom panel, and the serial number of the backplate. Additionally there is a third serial number you can see by unscrewing the front plate, its on the front plate, but it is probably the same as the base camera, so I dont recommend it. I agree with the other posters that the "Memo" badge is definitely means that it is a later produced model.




Yours looks like this, which is one of two variations of the shutters in the base patent filed in like 1916 iirc

The standard issue memo shutter looks like this.

The writing under the shutter speeds changes depending on what lens you get, my standard model 1927 series II serial 4xxx memo has Ansco Memo written there, but my later memo with a focusing B&L antistigmat lens has "Deltax No0" written there instead. Unfortunately, the focusing memo works only on bulb.

This is probably the most expensive model Memo, because it is F3.5. it also has Betax No.0 written there instead of Ansco Memo.