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'''K.K. Sumida Kōki Seisakusho''' (株式会社隅田光機製作所) or '''Sumida Optical Works''' was a Japanese camera maker from 1950 to 1953.<REF> The dates correspond to the earliest and latest Sumida advertisements mentioned in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;362. </REF>
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'''K.K. Sumida Kōki Seisakusho''' ({{kabu}}隅田光機製作所) or '''Sumida Optical Works''' was a Japanese camera maker from 1950 to 1953.<REF> The dates correspond to the earliest and latest Sumida advertisements mentioned in {{Kokusan}}, p.362. </REF>
   
 
== Name and history ==
 
== Name and history ==
"Sumida" is the name of a river in Tokyo, and also of one of the 23 boroughs (区, ''ku,'' conventionally if misleadingly translated as "wards") of the Japanese capital. The company was installed there, first in Arakawa-ku from 1950 to 1952, then in Setagaya-ku in 1953.<REF> Source: advertisements reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, pp.&nbsp;172&ndash;3. The main address from 1950 to 1952 was Tōkyō-to Arakawa-ku Minami-Senju 2, 13 (東京都荒川区南千住2の13), with the sales department (営業所) at the following address Tōkyō-to Minato-ku Shibasakurada Bizen-chō 12 (東京都港区芝桜田備前町12). In 1953 the only address is Tōkyō-to Setagaya-ku Daita 1, 748 (東京都世田谷区代田1の748). </REF>
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"Sumida" is the name of a river in Tokyo, and also of one of the 23 boroughs (区, ''ku,'' conventionally if misleadingly translated as "wards") of the Japanese capital. The company was installed there: its address was Arakawa-ku Minami-Senju (荒川区南千住) 2–13 from 1950 to 1952.<REF name="Kokusan172-3"> Advertisements reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, pp.172–3. </REF> From mid-1951, the sales department was installed in Minato-ku Shibasakurada Bizen-chō (港区芝桜田備前町) 12.<REF name="Kokusan172-3" /> In 1953 the company had a single address, Setagaya-ku Daita (世田谷区代田) 1–748.<REF name="Kokusan172-3" />
   
The ancestor of Sumida was the company [[Proud|Proud-sha]], founded by Miyazaki Shizuma (宮崎静馬) and apparently merged into [[Miyoshi|Miyoshi Kōgaku]] around 1940. Sumida made a number of cameras called Proud, and the sales department briefly used the name "Proud-sha". From 1950 to 1952, the company's logo was formed by the letters ''KSK'', with the "S" vertically elongated to draw some sort of cross. From late 1952 onwards, it used a logo formed by the words ''KSK Proud'' inside an oval, with a stylized "P". This logo is very close to the one used by Proud-sha before the war.
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The ancestor of Sumida was the company [[Proud|Proud-sha]], founded by Miyazaki Shizuma (宮崎静馬) and apparently merged into [[Miyoshi|Miyoshi Kōgaku]] around 1940. The first cameras made by Sumida were perhaps the [[Apollo and Mikado]] folders, a direct continuation of the [[Roavic]] by [[Miyoshi|Miyoshi Kōgaku]], itself descending from the [[Semi Prux]] by [[Proud]]. The Apollo and Mikado are sometimes attributed to [[Nishida]], which provided the lenses and shutters, but this is probably a mistake.<REF> {{Kokusan}}, p.345, attributes the "Apollo II" both to Sumida and to Nishida. {{Sugiyama}}, items 1269 and 1350, attributes the "Apollo Semi II" and "Mikado Semi" to Nishida. {{McKeown}}, pp.737–8 and 907, tries to distinguish between the "Apollo 120" (or "Apollo Semi II") and "Mikado" attributed to Nishida, and the "Mikado 120" and "Mikado Semi" attributed to Sumida. These distinctions seem pointless. </REF>
   
 
One source says that Sumida was first called "Million Optical",<REF> Lewis, p.73. </REF> but no further evidence has been found to sustain this. (Sumida indeed marketed a camera called [[Proud postwar folders|Million Proud]], where Million is a part of the model name.)
It seems that Sumida worked in cooperation with [[Nishida]] to produce the [[Apollo and Mikado]] folders.<REF> They are attributed to both companies in {{Kokusan}}, p.&nbsp;345 (for the Apollo II), and in {{McKeown}}, pp.&nbsp;737&ndash;8 and 907. </REF> It is likely that the body was made by Sumida while Nishida provided the lens and shutter, and maybe marketed the camera. These cameras are the continuation the [[Roavic]] by [[Miyoshi|Miyoshi Kōgaku]], itself descending from the [[Semi Prux]] by [[Proud]].
 
   
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Sumida made a number of cameras called Proud, and the sales department was briefly called "Proud-sha" (プラウド社) in mid-1951.<REF> Proud-sha: advertisement dated May 1951, reproduced in {{Kokusan}}, p.172. </REF> From 1950 to 1952, the company's logo was formed by the letters ''KSK'', with the "S" vertically elongated to draw some sort of cross. From late 1952 onwards, it used a logo formed by the words ''KSK Proud'' inside an oval, with a stylized "P". This logo is very close to the one used by Proud-sha before the war.
Lewis says that Sumida was first called "Million Optical".<REF> Lewis, p.&nbsp;73. </REF> No further evidence has been found to sustain this. Sumida indeed marketed a camera called Million Proud, but Million is a part of the model name.
 
   
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== Camera list ==
<div class="plainlinks floatright">[http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/267886712/ http://static.flickr.com/101/267886712_c4593f1288_t_d.jpg]</div>
 
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{| class="plainlinks floatright" style="text-align: center;"
== 4.5&times;6 folding ==
 
 
| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/267886712/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://static.flickr.com/101/267886712_c4593f1288_t_d.jpg]
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|-
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| ''Apollo''
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|}
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=== 4.5×6 folders ===
 
* [[Apollo and Mikado|Apollo]]
 
* [[Apollo and Mikado|Apollo]]
 
* [[Apollo and Mikado|Mikado]]
 
* [[Apollo and Mikado|Mikado]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Semi Proud]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Semi Proud]]
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{| class="plainlinks floatright" style="text-align: center;"
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| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/1517521525/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2060/1517521525_a41bb813b3_t_d.jpg]
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|-
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| ''Million Proud''
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|}
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Million Proud]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Million Proud]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Million Proud II]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Million Proud II]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Million Proud (new)]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Million Proud (new)]]
   
== 6&times;6 folding ==
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=== 6×6 folders ===
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Chrome Six]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Chrome Six]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Chrome Six II]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Chrome Six II]]
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* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Chrome Six IIIA]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Chrome Six IIIA]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Super Six]]
 
* [[Proud postwar folders|Proud Super Six]]
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== Other ==
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{| class="plainlinks floatright" width=250px style="text-align: center;"
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| [http://www.flickr.com/photos/rebollo_fr/2458815589/in/pool-camerapedia/ http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3181/2458815589_da483daa5f_m.jpg]
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|-
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| ''Advertisement by Sumida Shōkai in {{AR}} February 1949. {{public domain Japan new}}''
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|}
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A probably unrelated repair service called '''Sumida Shōkai''' (スミダ商会)<REF> "Sumida" is written in ''katakana'', unlike in Sumida Kōki. </REF> existed in 1949 in Asakusa (Tokyo).<REF> Advertisement in {{AR}} February 1949, p.49. </REF>
   
 
== Notes ==
 
== Notes ==
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== Bibliography ==
 
== Bibliography ==
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* {{AR}}. Advertisement by Sumida Shōkai in February 1949 (p.49).
 
* {{Showa10}}
 
* {{Showa10}}
* {{McKeown12}} P.&nbsp;907.
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* {{McKeown12}} P.907.
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* {{Zukan}}
   
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== Links ==
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In English:
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* [http://www.jnoir.eu/en/cameras/sumida/ Sumida] at [http://www.jnoir.eu/en/ Pocketable History] by J. Noir
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In Spanish:
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* [http://www.jnoir.eu/camaras/sumida/ Sumida] at [http://www.jnoir.eu/ Historia de Bolsillo] by J. Noir
 
[[Category: Japanese camera makers]]
 
[[Category: Japanese camera makers]]

Latest revision as of 19:29, 29 July 2013

K.K. Sumida Kōki Seisakusho (㈱隅田光機製作所) or Sumida Optical Works was a Japanese camera maker from 1950 to 1953.[1]

Name and history[]

"Sumida" is the name of a river in Tokyo, and also of one of the 23 boroughs (区, ku, conventionally if misleadingly translated as "wards") of the Japanese capital. The company was installed there: its address was Arakawa-ku Minami-Senju (荒川区南千住) 2–13 from 1950 to 1952.[2] From mid-1951, the sales department was installed in Minato-ku Shibasakurada Bizen-chō (港区芝桜田備前町) 12.[2] In 1953 the company had a single address, Setagaya-ku Daita (世田谷区代田) 1–748.[2]

The ancestor of Sumida was the company Proud-sha, founded by Miyazaki Shizuma (宮崎静馬) and apparently merged into Miyoshi Kōgaku around 1940. The first cameras made by Sumida were perhaps the Apollo and Mikado folders, a direct continuation of the Roavic by Miyoshi Kōgaku, itself descending from the Semi Prux by Proud. The Apollo and Mikado are sometimes attributed to Nishida, which provided the lenses and shutters, but this is probably a mistake.[3]

One source says that Sumida was first called "Million Optical",[4] but no further evidence has been found to sustain this. (Sumida indeed marketed a camera called Million Proud, where Million is a part of the model name.)

Sumida made a number of cameras called Proud, and the sales department was briefly called "Proud-sha" (プラウド社) in mid-1951.[5] From 1950 to 1952, the company's logo was formed by the letters KSK, with the "S" vertically elongated to draw some sort of cross. From late 1952 onwards, it used a logo formed by the words KSK Proud inside an oval, with a stylized "P". This logo is very close to the one used by Proud-sha before the war.

Camera list[]

4.5×6 folders[]

6×6 folders[]

Other[]

A probably unrelated repair service called Sumida Shōkai (スミダ商会)[6] existed in 1949 in Asakusa (Tokyo).[7]

Notes[]

  1. The dates correspond to the earliest and latest Sumida advertisements mentioned in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.362.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Advertisements reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, pp.172–3.
  3. Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.345, attributes the "Apollo II" both to Sumida and to Nishida. Sugiyama, items 1269 and 1350, attributes the "Apollo Semi II" and "Mikado Semi" to Nishida. McKeown, pp.737–8 and 907, tries to distinguish between the "Apollo 120" (or "Apollo Semi II") and "Mikado" attributed to Nishida, and the "Mikado 120" and "Mikado Semi" attributed to Sumida. These distinctions seem pointless.
  4. Lewis, p.73.
  5. Proud-sha: advertisement dated May 1951, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p.172.
  6. "Sumida" is written in katakana, unlike in Sumida Kōki.
  7. Advertisement in Ars Camera February 1949, p.49.

Bibliography[]

Links[]

In English:

In Spanish: