What is needed here?

[ragc]

How does this camera accept a tripod?

 

[Dave Parker]

Looks like some of the old panning style cameras, when you mounted on a round platform and could pan the camera..

But would not be hard to fit a plate to the bottom with a tripod mount and use as a normal camera, I am sure someone here knows this camera, but just for giggles, are there any name plates on the body anywhere?

Dave

 

[ragc]

Yes, matter of fact...it's in Japanese, or so I'm told. The name "King" appears also in latin alphabet. I would really like to know more about the camera, but I doubt it is well known. It will be a project camera when I receive it.

And don't laugh...I think you may be polishing some very fine Satin Snow for it right about now!

 

[Dave Parker]

You might send Jim Gali a Private message, if anyone would know, I am sure he would, interesting. The lettering almost looks like Chinese instead of Japanese symbols, which if I remember right, there was/is a Shanghi camera company that produced cameras back the 30's before WWII

Dave

 

[ragc]

I asked a Chinese friend to read it for me. He said it was Japanese, but that the character on the left bottom stands for "Number One".

 

[Dave Parker]

You know, you might have got a hold of one of the Indian copies of many of the different LF cameras they have made over the years, it would be interesting to track down the year of manufacture on it, that may provide some more clues. anyway, it is a good looking camera, where did you aquire it?

Dave

 

[big_ben_blue]

this style of camera bed was quite common in the days (say around 1900), mostly with English compact style cameras. One would simply attach fitting tripod legs to the three brass receptor; or in other words, the camera bed acts as the tripod head itself. Problem is that it limits your options in obtaining interesting angles (basically things like tilting your camera and such are gone).
I got a few cameras like that; most of mine accept the legs from the quite common Crown tripods, but your mileage may vary.
Often, people adapted some sort [plywood] board to fit the opening (though it might require to take the inner brass pieces out of the bed), and added a normed tripod thread, to use their regular tripods.

 

[ragc]

eBay...$149.00, just the other night.

I also have a Gundlach Korona View in 5x7 (which I love) and I lucked into a 1903 Carl Zeiss Jena Universal Palmos, which had been converted to a B&J 5x7 back and which I "repaired" with a 4x5 back from a Graphic View I (the original was 9x12, I think).

 

[big_ben_blue]

You know, you might have got a hold of one of the Indian copies of many of the different LF cameras they have made over the years, it would be interesting to track down the year of manufacture on it, that may provide some more clues. anyway, it is a good looking camera, where did you aquire it?

Dave

I don't think that the camera is an Indian copy (why would someone in India put japanese writing on it). Japan had a formidable camera production long before WW2. Most of the ones I have seen (they pop up on fleabay every now and then) appear to be copies of the English compact style (like TP's, ROC's, ...).

 

[ragc]

Yes, I may build some sort of fitting to mount it on a standard tripod head. Can't wait to receive it to check it out!

 

[jimgalli]

Do searches on "Crown Tripod" like this one here. A #2 would be just about right for that camera. The legs would go right into the big brass base of the camera and you wouldn't use the original Crown base.

 

[ragc]

Thanks! I'm new to APUG and couldn't figure out how to PM you...glad you 'came by'. No ID on the camera itself?

 

[jimgalli]

No, there were zillions of these. I have one just like it packed in the rafters that is waiting for me to take up glass plates. Half plate I think.

 

[Dave Parker]

I don't think that the camera is an Indian copy (why would someone in India put japanese writing on it). Japan had a formidable camera production long before WW2. Most of the ones I have seen (they pop up on fleabay every now and then) appear to be copies of the English compact style (like TP's, ROC's, ...).

Well, often I am wrong, I just make glass to fit the holes on the back of them, although, I still don't think this is Japanese, I used to speak the language fluently and was starting to learn to write it, when I got divorced from my first wife(who was Japanese) but again, that has been over 20 years ago...so quite possibly it is Japanese...anyway, Jim has jumped in and I am sure he has more information that I would ever hope to on these cameras as well as the rest of them, as I said, I just make screens to plug the hole on the back of them

Dave

 

[ragc]

Thanks for the info, Jim. This one is half-plate too.

Dave's hole plugs are reputed to be amongst the best, so I hear. I am waiting to see by myself (probably another month and a half if the three month thing is still on).

 

[Richard Kelham]

I would echo the thought that it is a copy of an "English" camera of c1900. I think they were called "Hand & Stand" cameras though I wouldn't fancy hand-holding one...! (OK, not what it meant)

Think Sanderson, Thornton Pickard, etc – the folding screen was typical. They were commonly copied in India, and apparently Japan. Does it come with bookform slides?


Richard

 

[Jim Jones]

When you get the camera, post a close-up of the name tag. My limited Japanese has grown rusty over the past few decades, but a dictionary suggests that the two large characters could read something like number one. The smaller ones are too difficult for me to read accurately. If the old Japanese camera industry was like the early postwar motorcycle industry, there may have been countless companies producing a handful of cameras a year.

To avoid altering the original camera, perhaps you could clamp two disks over the brass tripod fitting with a tripod socket in the bottom disk.

 

[Oren Grad]

Yes, matter of fact...it's in Japanese, or so I'm told. The name "King" appears also in latin alphabet. I would really like to know more about the camera, but I doubt it is well known. It will be a project camera when I receive it.

It's Japanese. I believe the small characters across the top of the label read "Asanuma Shokai", or Asanuma & Co., a well-known Japanese distributor of photographic equipment which has used the "King" brand for a number of its products.

Still figuring out the larger characters...

 

[Oren Grad]

a dictionary suggests that the two large characters could read something like number one.

I think that's right. The second character is the archaic form of the kanji for "go" (number), and one of the usages of the first character is for "first".

 

[ragc]

Mr. Grad: Many thanks! Your information is fantastic.

Mr. Jones: You think like I do. I would not alter the camera itself. I will probably either get a #2 Crown Tripod or fabricate a plywood disk with three threaded inderts that I can bolt from the inside (if I find hand space there) with a standard tripod mount in the center. This one may end up with a modified lensboard to add swing (it looks like it has plenty of tilt). I also need to look into what I can do, without damaging it, to convert it from glass plate to film, although I have one glass plate holder (came with my Korona) I could use with it already. This one does not include any holders in the deal.

Mr. Kelham: What is a bookform slide? My wood plate holder is much like a filmholder, but thicker to accomodate the two glass plates. I gather that it must not be a bookform slide. Edit: I found the information at: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/photoschool/ps large.html Now I know what it is! A modification is now in order. I will have to study the camera not to damage it.

Those are all the photos posted by the seller.

 

[ragc]

Here's what I find for Asanuma & Co. LTD:

Established 1928
459 employees
$548,488,000.00 in imports annually
Importer of Optical Instruments, Photographic instruments and equipment (medical uses)
Brand Names: King, Fujicolor ?!
Once part of Tokina

So, as their principal business was/is importation, the camera could have been made anywhere and "branded" with the King name.

 

[Oren Grad]

Asanuma is much older than Tokina - it dates back to 1871. (See the 1871 entry in Philbert Ono's Japan photo history outline here.)

There was a brief period perhaps 20-25 years ago when camera lenses under the Asanuma name were sold in the US. For all I know, those may have been manufactured by Tokina, which later started to market lenses under its own brand.

Although Asanuma itself may have been only the marketer, I would not be surprised if your camera was indeed built in Japan.

 

[ragc]

Got it!

It's soooo light compared to my Korona! And in great shape too!

Excuse me while I dissapear...I'm off playing!

Edit: OK, here's the review: Incredibly light and compact, in very good shape with good bellows (usable). Has front and back tilts, back swing, front rise, back and front focus with telescoping back extension. All controls work well, although only the front and back focus are geared. No lens storage possible on-camera because of the small size, unless tripod infill (yet to be fabricated) is removed. Definitely a user, probably the favorite!

 

[Oren Grad]

It's soooo light compared to my Korona! And in great shape too!

Excuse me while I dissapear...I'm off playing!

Enjoy!

 

[Keiske]

I'm not knowledgeable about old equipment but you can see many photo of
Asanuma King camera set used by a Japanese photo studio on the following page. I think such a set was pretty standard at Japanese photo studio around the war.

The three slots in the bottom of the camera are for tripod legs. Each leg goes to the slot. The photo shows Slik tripod adaptor to accomodate more modern tripod.

The camera was probably made by Tanakaichi, the predecessor of Nagaoka.

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r24631206