"incognito" Mamiya ZE

[hannes]

Hello:

I need some experts hint
Can anybody answer the question why this chrome Mamiya ZE has no Labels on the top cover?
I also have a black ZE with Mamiya name on the to cover wher the logo is engraved and painted.

On this one the cover is completely even and shows no signs of removal of the writings.

Serial # of the chrome one is 455050, I also have a black ZE with lower number 101055

Greetings from Austria

    Hannes

[genazzano]

Hannes, so called no-name models of various cameras in general involved the marketing of models by other companies which required re-branding. Thus the Mamiya ZE, as with other subsequent Z-models, was also re-branded and sold by Bell and Howell as the Z model. The Mamiya version was black, whereas, the B&H model was chrome. A chrome Mamiya ZE has been found (see Ron Herron's site). No-name versions of the Mamiya ZE in chrome were probably produced to be re-branded B&H but reached the market somehow. I am fairly confident that a search for no-name variants of the Mamiya Z series cameras, someone will have found another similar to yours.

David

[Stephen]

Prior to the Mamiya Z period, Rank Photographic Ltd had marketed many Mamiya models as Rank Mamiya cameras in the UK. I am not sure but I think Dixons marketed the ZE under their brand. By that period Miranda were exclusive to Dixons, but not re-branded as Dixons owned the Miranda name in Europe.
Stephen.