Graflex Graphic 35 - made by Kowa?

[johnbear]

It is almost universally stated that later Graphic 35s were produced by Kowa, and some say they had a Seikosha MX shutter. I'm not convinced this is true. I haven't been able to find a single image of a Graphic 35 with anything but a Prontor SVS shutter. Similarly, all available images of the film chamber/back show this to be printed or embossed with Made in U.S.A.



In 1957 Graflex began selling the Century 35, a rebadged 1955 Kallo 35 with a Seikosha MX shutter and made by Kowa: a model with no push-button focusing, and the name CENTURY emblazoned on the lens bezel. It appears that these two models may have been confused, especially as the Century is sometimes named as the Graphic Century. The correct statement would appear to be that - later Graphic 35 models were produce by Kowa ... and included the (Graphic) Century 35 and Graphic Jet 35.



Most Internet sources state production ceased in 1957, yet I have found magazine adverts from March 1958 (National Geographic), 1959 (Rochester 8 New York), plus a listing in the June 1960 UK Amateur Photographer magazine Annual Camera Guide, and the December 1960 US Modern Photography magazine New Camera Buying Guide. The details here describe the push button focusing, made in the USA, Graphic 35 pictured above
.


Either there was one massive stockpile of cameras, or it was still being made after 1957? Stylistically, the replacement model appears to have been the Graphic 35 Jet, which was introduced in 1961. Isn't it more likely the Jet perpetuated its predecessors unique focusing system rather than resurrected it four years later?



There are lists of Rodenstock lens serial numbers on the Net, but these don't add too much clarity to the camera production date issue. From looking at Graphic 35 lens serial numbers, their range seems to be 2,5xx,xxx (lowest found 2,587,404) to 4,xxx,xxx (highest 4,087,778), which dates their lenses between May 1952 and July 1957 (assuming a linear distribution). July 1957 coincides with the end date information obtained from Graflex.org - but, with regard to the start date - if a lens made in 1952 appears in a 1955 camera, then isn't it also possible a 1957 lens could find itself in a 1960 camera?


Just trying to set the record straight!

[olddocfox]

Dear Johnbear,

My Graphic 35 (body 1111489) has all the features you described: Prontor SVS shutter, Rodenstock lens serial number 3550118, "Made in USA" embossed on interior of removable back. See my photos.

[johnbear]

That's just like mine (f/2.8 with universal band). Lovely isn't it ... like something Buck Rogers would have used. My lens serial number is not far away (3517192), but the body serial number is way off (592629).

I'm totally convinced these were never made in Japan.

[Stephen]

The push button one was US made, but a few at the end of the run seem to have been assembled in Japan with the Seiko shutter, as Graflex were getting ready to use Kowa as the producer. I suspect parts were simply sent to Japan to clear out the factory in the US.

[johnbear]

Progress!

The Graflex Journal - issue 3 of 2016 - has a comprehensive feature on the Graphic 35 (push-button-focus).

This says nothing about Kowa making later examples, nor the shutter being changed to a Seikosha MX.

I do not wish to offend anyone's excellence of knowledge, but I am convinced the Kowa made Graphic 35s were in fact Graflex Graphic Century 35s, and not push-button-focus Graflex Graphic 35s: two completely different cameras. If anyone has a photo of a bush-button Graphic 35 with a Seikosha shutter, I would love to see it.

The article acknowledges that ... as I suspected ... production did not cease in July 1957 (as stated all over the Net). Another 4000 were possibly made in 1958.

olddocfox ... I thought your body serial number (1,111,489) was incredibly high, when compared to mine (592,629) ... mine apparently being one of the last according to its specification, but the mystery is solved. The serial numbers went from 550,000 to 599,000, and then re-started from 1,100,000 to 1,118,269.

[johnbear]

Final thoughts ...

Search eBay for Graflex Graphic 35, and you should find a number of magazine adverts offered for sale, which the sellers claim to be from 1958 publications. One example is a pre-Christmas advert, indicating expected stock availability in 1959. Add to that the listing of the Graphic 35 in 1960 UK and USA camera magazine "guides to new cameras", and it all points towards the Graflex 35 having been available until the Jet 35 replaced it in 1961.

This satisfies me, since I originally could not understand why Graflex seemingly abandoned push-button-focus in 1957, and then re-introduced it in 1961. If the Jet was introduced when stocks of the Graphic 35 had been exhausted, it makes more sense that the replacement model perpetuated the system.

As for Kowa having made "later" Graphic 35s ... well those nice people behind the Graflex Journal say ... No, absolutely not! All those websites that claim this seem to have omitted one very important word ... "Century". The later Graflex Graphic "Century" 35 cameras were made by Kowa.

I appreciate that I am possibly one of a handful of people who care about when this camera ceased production, or who made it, but my interest is really more to do with correcting copy cat statements, which when you stop and think about them, are nonsensical.

[daveh]

John, I don't know too much about the Graflex and what I do mainly comes from what you have written, so you must be right. The problem, as you rightly say, with many issues is that something gets written and then regurgitated as the truth.

One such issue I have researched is the Malta Convoy of summer 1942: Operation Pedestal. My interest stems from the fact that the husband of the couple who were the original occupants of our house died in that operation. He was an engineer on a Holt Line ship, the Glenorchy. The Glenorchy was torpedoed in the early hours of August 13th and an early report said she was lost with all hands. In fact, from the information I have been able to gather, six, all in the engine room it would seem, were killed instantly when the ship was struck by torpedoes. A seventh, the captain, died later when he refused to leave his post. Even now there are many sources that say "lost with all hands" even though there were some 120 survivors.

Even those reports that get the numbers right, and it seems to be every one of these reports, say he was killed on the 12th of August: hardly the Glorious 12th. It is my belief that he died on 13th. I can find no evidence that the ship was hit on the 12th, and all reports say it was the 13th. I believe what has happened is that reports said the convoy was attacked on the night of the 12th, and so the 12th has stuck as the date. Of course, that night actually covers two days, the 12th and the 13th. The CWGC (Commonwealth War Graves Commission) website says the 12th.

In the end, unfortunately, there are just too many incorrect reports about the Glenorchy, and presumably the Graflex, to be able to set the record properly straight.

RIP Eric Ernest Cowley, 15th April 1902 Douglas, Isle of Man - 13th August 1942, at sea 5 miles NW of Kelibia, Tunisia.