Antique Kodak Bellows Camera Very Well Preserved. France, 1930's

This wonderful camera is an original piece made in France in the 1930s. It is a folding or bellows camera manufactured by Kodak that has survived to our days in excellent condition and fine working order. It can be perfectly used to take photographs with the adequate roll film and preserves all its original component parts. The black faux-leather covering and the bellows, made of the same material, are very well preserved; on the other hand, the silvery metal shines and shows no traces of rust. The camera mounts a Kodak Anastigmat Angenieux lens, as we can read in the inscription engraved in the piece. Pierre Angenieux was an optical engineer born in the Loire region in 1907 who established an optical company in France in 1935. His business became quite prestigious because of the quality of the lenses they manufactured, and could compare to world-renowned firms such as German E.Leitz Wetzlar. When Kodak entered the French market, the import duties imposed on photographic goods were quite high so the North American company bought lenses from Angenieux and SOM Berthiot. Shortly after, Angenieux became sole supplier for a number of years. The firm kept on manufacturing lenses until the 1970s, when they became unable to cope with the Japanese competition. The piece is a 100 mm / f=45 lens, in very good condition too. As well as engraved in it, we can find the name KODAK in a metal plate attached to the front lid and also inside the case. Here we find a red, yellow and black label with a drawing of the roll film recommended for the camera: Kodak 620. There are also two French inscriptions: UTILISEZ LE KILM KODAK 620 and en boite jaune meaning in yellow box. This compact and functional antique camera is a collectors piece that will delight any photographer, both amateur and professional. Measurements: Width: 3.7 in / 9.5 cm. Height: 5.9 in /15 cm.