Found: Unique Kodak Duo 620 from France

[genazzano]

By accident, I found a Duo 620 that looked a bit odd at first. It turned out to be a quite unusual, perhaps unique, Kodak Duo 620 with a re-designed top including a DOF scale in French. The top differs from the versions produced by Kodak AG during the late 1930's.

I have found nothing on the Net that resembles this camera and none that have a French DOF scale.





This is a Duo 620 that differs markedly from all other Duo 620 cameras produced by Kodak. It is quite unique as far as I can determine. I believe that this may be the "Modeles Chromes 1939" referred to in a Kodak-Fr advertisement.

The back leather cover is embossed with "Duo 620" instead of the usual "Duo Six-20". The camera's lens and shutter assembly appears to be the same as the models produced by Kodak AG.

The camera, as described in the advertisement below. is equipped with the Carl Zeiss Jena f/3.5 7.5cm Tessar mounted in a Compur shutter.

This model may be a prototype of a Series II. However, I feel that it is a production model designed in France. Historically, it probably was produced about 1938-39 but because of its extreme rarity, I would guess that it was intended to be marketed in 1939, about the time when the German army arrived. As in the case of the CRF Series III model, it is probable that the Kodak Fr factory either decided to halt production shortly after launch, or they had been ordered by the occupying German Command to cease camera production. In any event, it is apparent that very few were ever built and fewer ever reached market in 1939.

This Duo 620 is an extraordinarily rare camera. Nothing can be found on the Net regarding its production, and all we have to go on is the camera itself right now.

For a collector, this is very exciting. If anyone has any comments or ideas about the possible history, please post.

Ciao!

David

[Stephen]

Certainly unusual, and it looks like the war is the explanation, as Kodak in France stopped production of any new work. They were left in Limbo as an American owned company that was rated as neutral. Kodak refused to do war production for the Germans, and were basically left alone till the US came into the war, when Kodak in Germany was placed in control of the French factory till the end of the war. Kodak retained as many staff as possible before the US entry to war, but the Germans simply ordered the French staff to work in other factories. I believe it was running with only a handful of staff by the time the US went to war.
Some key staff had escaped before the German invasion to the UK to work at Kodak's factories at Stevenage and Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
The Duo Six 20 is a nice camera from Kodak.

[genazzano]

It's exciting to find such an unusual camera that may reflect the history of Kodak, a history that seems to be unknown. Absolutely no one mentions this model on the Internet including the Group that is dedicated to the history of the Kodak Duo 620.

There is a chance that this is the only example.

[alex]

Now that would be super exciting! To have a one of a kind camera. Especially one that is a piece of major part of world history.

[genazzano]

Since Teague had been designing so many Kodaks during the time, I wonder if this Duo was a product of his input? I must try to see if there are any relevant Teague patents.

David

[mickeyobe]

Feb 19, 2016 2:06:50 GMT -5 genazzano said:

Since Teague had been designing so many Kodaks during the time, I wonder if this Duo was a product of his input? I must try to see if there are any relevant Teague patents.

David

This camera is big and impressive and beautiful in the same way a bulldog is beautiful and certainly appealing to me.
I would love to have one.

But I don't think it has that sensitive and attractive finesse of Teague's magical touch.

Mickey

[camfiend]

love to have one what Mickey, the camera or the bulldog?

Bob

[mickeyobe]

Feb 19, 2016 4:50:09 GMT -5 camfiend said:

love to have one what Mickey, the camera or the bulldog?

Bob

Both.

A beautiful big bruiser of a camera like that is designed for taking pictures of big beautiful bulldogs .


Mickey

[genazzano]

Mickey, this Duo is pretty small. Maybe it just looks big in the photos especially with that big knob on top.

I think I agree that this is probably not a Teague design. It is a French design, though. More chrome than my wife's new Renault.

I thought that the discovery of this camera would stimulate more discussion among the cognoscenti. Not often that a new camera is discovered. I noted that the body serial number dates from 1934 as does the Compur shutter. However, the Tessar appears to date from November, 1938.

The body serial number Nr.239901. The Compur serial number is 2669529 is early dating from late 1934. The Tessar lens is 1380163 which dates from the end of 1938. The DOF scale is in French which alone is rare. This is in accord with the sense that the camera was intended for market in 1939. The camera, as described in the advertisement below, is equipped with the Carl Zeiss Jena f/3.5 7.5cm Tessar mounted in a Compur shutter. The standard Duo 620 is listed at 830fr. However Le "Modeles Chrome 1939" cost much more, priced at 1350fr which was a lot.