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11-07-2021, 01:24 PM - 9 Likes   #1
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1930 Kodak's 50th Anniversary Edition camera

Hello,

George Eastman started his own company in 1880 manufacturing dry plates.
The story of Kodak and the story of Pentax have a particularly curious similarity: Although decades apart, both companies changed their names thanks to a very successful product. In both cases, a camera. The Eastman Company launched the "Kodak" camera in 1888. The Asahi Optical Company launched the Asahi PENTAX camera in 1957. Due to the success of those, The Eastman Company became Eastman Kodak and eventually just Kodak. The Asahi Optical was eventually renamed PENTAX Corporation.
But back to our story:
George Eastman was a business genius when he brought photography to the masses and the average people in the late 19th century and early 20th century, creating a huge unprecedented market. He then focused in a very special market segment: Children! The idea was that if you expose (pun intended) children to photography, they will pick it up as a life hobby, creating a healthy loyal customer base for decades to come. And it worked.
In 1930, the Kodak company celebrated its 50th anniversary. As a promotion and celebration, they came up with an interesting concept: Giving away more than half a million cameras!
Promotions ran in magazines like Boys Life (official magazine of Boy Scouts) and other publications advertising that starting on May 1st, until supplies last or up to May 31st, 1930, any child whose 12th birthday was in 1930 (any month of the year) will be given a free camera and a free roll of film. Even the first lady of the United States, Grace Coolidge, endorsed the promotion. The number of cameras was set at 500,000 in the US. An additional number of cameras were used for Canada, but there are conflicting references about the number. I have seen from 47,000 to 57,000 to everything in between. So somewhere around 50,000 additional units for the Canadian market.
From what I have gathered, they were all gone in the first week or so. There are stories of some dealers depleting their allocation the very first day.
This giveaway camera of course had to be simple and inexpensive. Kodak based it on an already old design: The No.2 Hawk-Eye Model C. This was not a Brownie. It only had one tiny viewfinder and no provision for any adjustment. Just a shutter release. Not even a "Time" function.
To distinguish it, it was a special tan color, golden colored hardware and a gold foil emblem stating the company's 50th anniversary.

Here are some online pictures I have found of the promotions. I can't claim ownership of any of these images. These are from different places like the Brownie-camera.com website which is a great research reference.









Just imagine the logistics of having these in all dealers around the country by that date.

My specimen:
Of course I want one! But I was born 40 years after the promotion

These already 90 years old girls are not particularly hard to find. What is hard to find is one in mint condition. These were used like intended.
So I finally found this one:











It is tired but seems complete. Shutter works which is not surprising. The strap seems to be original but it is shot. The finish is tarnished so I'll carefully start cleaning it.


Started testing mild cleaners with promising results. But there is dark tarnishing that seems to be immune to my tested cleaners. I'll keep slowly progressing on this to eventually run a roll thru it.
Stay tuned!

Thanks,
Ismael


Last edited by ismaelg; 11-19-2021 at 08:14 PM.
11-07-2021, 05:44 PM - 1 Like   #2
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This is a very interesting project, at least partially because of the backstory. You rock!


Steve
11-07-2021, 09:08 PM - 1 Like   #3
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Thanks for sharing Ismael!
11-08-2021, 02:24 AM - 1 Like   #4
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Great stuff, Ismael. I enjoyed the history lesson... It's interesting how far the concept of "special edition" cameras reaches back, and the demand for them. Your camera is a lovely example, and will be better still when you've worked your magic! Looking forward to reading more


Last edited by BigMackCam; 11-08-2021 at 03:06 AM.
11-08-2021, 02:47 AM - 2 Likes   #5
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Another lovely restoration project, yay!

I also appreciate the honesty from Kodak - they made it clear that they were getting future business out of this deal .
11-08-2021, 05:20 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Serkevan Quote
Another lovely restoration project, yay!

I also appreciate the honesty from Kodak - they made it clear that they were getting future business out of this deal .
Kodak must have expected an awful lot of business from that marketing exercise. Giving away 500,000 cameras? Even at a relatively low manufacturing cost, that's a BIG spend...
11-08-2021, 08:04 AM - 2 Likes   #7
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Original Poster
Hello,

Thank you all for the interest! I'm not sure how much it affected if at all, but George Eastman was a philanthropist and donated millions of dollars to universities, art schools and other education causes. I think he would have put money from his pocket for something like this if needed. By this time he was "retired" from the company but was chairman of the board of directors.
I personally think George Eastman is at the top of the most influential people in the history of photography. A very fascinating biography indeed. I can talk for hours on this topic. Well, I can talk for hours, period...

Thanks,
Ismael

11-19-2021, 08:08 PM - 2 Likes   #8
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Hello,

Took it very careful with this one. Cleaned nicely but there are some dark spots and cracks in the leatherette. Did not push it. Since there is no "Time" setting I had to clean the lens within the 1/40th-ish of a second of the shutter
No, I used tweezers to kept the shutter open. The lens was cleaned from both ends.
The viewfinder is honestly almost useless.
The strap is one of the few I recently did for the Brownies. Not sure I like that color on this one but it can be easily changed.
And just like that it is waiting its turn to be tested!








Pure simplicity. Not until the advent of 126 film cartridges in 1963 that it became any simpler than this.

Thanks,
Ismael
11-20-2021, 05:17 PM - 1 Like   #9
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Hello again,

Just made this: Probably my best handle to date. About 5mm wider at the center. This is vinyl but I'll soon try with real leather again.





Thanks,
Ismael
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