• Welcome to Photrio!
    Registration is fast and free. Join today to unlock search, see fewer ads, and access all forum features.
    Click here to sign up

Nikor History

dynachrome

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Messages
1,825
Format
35mm
I bought a Nikor tank today from an eBay seller. The bottom of the tank has the Nikor imprint and the words New York City. I don't know whether this means the tank was made in NY or that the company had a corporate address there. My other Nikor tanks show either Springfield, MA or West Springfield, MA. I know that the final metal Nikors were made in Japan. Does anyone know how long the equipment was made in each location?
 
OP
OP

dynachrome

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Messages
1,825
Format
35mm
Could someone move this to Darkroom Equipment?
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
54,735
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Thread moved, as per very reasonable request.
 

reddesert

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Messages
2,589
Location
SAZ
Format
Hybrid
My Nikor tank, which has the Massachusetts address on the bottom, also has a couple of patent numbers. Here's one of the patents: https://patents.google.com/patent/US2073978A/en?oq=us2073978 US 2073978 for what is clearly the invertible light safe tank and spiral wire reel for roll film. Applied for in 1936 by Hinsdale Smith Jr in New York, patent granted 1937. I did not realize these tanks dated back that far. The second patent number is 2218727 which appears to be the Nikor tank and reel for sheet film, patented a few years later.

Honeywell took over the business much later, I don't know if that had anything to do with the change of address.