... early German imported Retina, later marketed by Kodak.................................
Dear Charlie,
Kodak bought out Nagel of Stuttgart in December 1931, if my German is correct (Helmut Nagel, Zauber der Kamera, DVA Stuttgart 1977) and the Retina I type 117 of 1934-35, 266,000 made, was about the sixth camera to be branded Kodak: the first few appear all to have been 620 models, including the box 'Brownie 620' (27,000 made) and the plain 'Kodak 620' (34,000 made)with art deco finish and a choice of lenses from Kodak (Anastigmat 105/6.3 and 105/4,5), Schneider (105/4,5 Xenar) and Zeiss (105/4.5 Tessar).
The numbers made are quite revealing about the explosive growth of the take-up of 35mm, though Retina I numbers also include the 118 (1935-36), 119 (1936-38), 126 (1936-1938), 141 (1937-39), 143 (1938-39), 148 (1939) and 149 (1939). Then after the war they sold another 387,000 of types 010 and 013 before going to the 015 1a in 1951 (over 137,000 made. This is before you count II, IIa; b, c or C Retinas, or Retinettes.
Cheers,
Roger