Kodak Medalist for Mexico market

Dan Daniel

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I hadn't seen this before- a Kodak Medalist made for the Mexican market, I assume. The owner lives in Mexico, and Medalists are pretty rare in Europe but maybe this does show up in Spain?

There are the only changes- a Spanish 'Do not turn' decal, and a focus scale in meters. Everything else is the same as on American market cameras. I'd like to get my hands on more of these meter scales!

Anyone know about Kodak and Mexico? Did they make other cameras in markings for Mexico?
 

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John Wiegerink

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Wow! I've read most of what I could find on the Medalist and never knew about this. Maybe it was made for a high government official in Spain as a gift? I have certainly never seen one in all my past camera dealings at camera shows in the midwest and east coast.
 
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Dan Daniel

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Interesting, John.

I could see the decal being simple to make for a special one-off. But the focus scale engraving and finishing is the same as English scaled production pieces. Maybe I overestimate the work involved in making such a part.

And yes, I have seen nothing else like this for the Medalist. And I've had cameras come in from Australia, Poland, etc. All English decal and focus scale. Not even French from Canada... uh, excuse me, from Quebec!

I've not seen mention of Kodak selling in Mexico. Anyone know if this was a decent sized market?
 

Alex Varas

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I don’t think the camera is for Spain, only from 1953 relationships between USA and Franco’s Spain began with the establishment of some naval and air bases for the USA militaries and later NATO.

My bet is Mexico since the camera was found there.
 

MattKing

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I have an Ikonta 521-2 that has affixed as part of the back door a medallion that refers to what I understand to be an Amsterdam based retailer, plus lots of English printing inside.
Perhaps Kodak did something similar for a Mexican or other Spanish speaking retailer/market.
IIRC, Kodak Mexico was at one time quite substantial.
Does anyone know whether Mexico would have been "metric" back when the Medalist was current - at least for imported cameras?
 

Marcelo Paniagua

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Did you mean if Mexico used metric system then? If so yeah, as far as I know Mexico started using metric system back in the middle of 1800's.
 

MattKing

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Marcelo Paniagua said:
Did you mean if Mexico used metric system then? If so yeah, as far as I know Mexico started using metric system back in the middle of 1800's.
Click to expand...

Thanks - I'm not surprised.
Although sometimes there are anomalies that are restricted to the photography world, when the rest of local society uses different standards.
 

Marcelo Paniagua

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MattKing said:
Thanks - I'm not surprised.
Although sometimes there are anomalies that are restricted to the photography world, when the rest of local society uses different standards.
Click to expand...

Yeah it happens sometimes. On modern times, there are Mexican rules that requires anything that is being sold on Mexico to be labeled using metric systems (rules are called Official Mexican Norm or NOM). Not sure when those where stablished though.
 
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