ARCO Tripods 1950's

CanonRFinder

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[SIZE=-0]Picked up something interesting last week. Never gave it much thought except the case was well made and why would anyone go to so much expense to make it.

[SIZE=-0]It is a special designed case to carry an ARCO Tripod and a 1951 Canon Camera holder. The "Japan" on the back of the Camera Holder dates it around Nov-Dec 1951.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]I was going through some I/Books looking for something else when I saw in a 3/1952 Jardine Matheson & Co "Canon Cameras Serenar Lenses" brochure, the mention of an ARCO Tripod.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]I had noticed it before and thought it odd the Canon would advertise another manufactures item but then this is the agent JMC for Canon in Japan.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]In a photocopy of a Skinner Brochure I have there is the mention of a "Canon Tripod" and thought at the time [/SIZE][SIZE=-0]that Canon [/SIZE][SIZE=-0]may have manufactured a Tripod under there own name. But I think Skinner was talking about the ARCO tripod as one is pictured in the brochure. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]JMC [/SIZE][SIZE=-0]mentioned the ARCO name in a later brochure "JMC-15" which has two Deer's on the front (1953?). Both pictures show the ARCO logo on the tripods. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]The Canon "Camera Holder" brochure dated 5/51 Pub #129 has an ARCO tripod pictured inside and on the cover.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]In a 9/1955 Pub #295 Canon Lenses Directions and Tables booklet on page 40 there is a pic of a tripod but the name has been eliminated but the shape and style indicates that it is an ARCO tripod. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]There isn't a mention in Canon first official price list dated March 1954 of any Tripod for sale although JMC name is mentioned as is Balfour, Guthrie & Co who were the agents for Canon in USA. Maybe BGC dropped the link to ARCO when they took over from Skinner in ?.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]So between 1954 and 1960 Canon used other manufacturers tripods to augment there accessory line. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]The first mention of a Canon Tripod that was produced by them is in a 1/10/1960 Swift & Bleakley P/L Official Canon Sales Book of a "Model "K" tripod with swivel head and case" for 5.18.6 (that is Five Pounds Eighteen shillings and Six pence in OZ currency).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]Swift & Bleakley P/L were the agents who imported Canon gear into Australia before Canon set up there own agencies here in OZ.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0]If Canon via JMC or Skinner were advertising the ARCO tripod and Camera Holder, did ARCO supply this special case as an incentive to purchase the Canon Camera Holder and in appreciation Canon advertised the ARCO tripod in there sale brochures.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-0] A friend in Florida owns a Canon marked tripod and I have asked him if there is any similarity to the ARCO tripod.

Not sure if ARCO was a US or Japanese company?

Cheers

Peter

Tripod #1.jpg

Tripod #2.jpg

Tripod #3.jpg




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Peter,

My dad bought an ARCO tripod with his IV-Sb in Korea in 1954 from this Catalog (See page 10 under Accesories).

I wish he still had it but he gave it away to a cousin.

I think I have the instruction sheet for it though and will scan & post it.

Regards,

Bruce
 
Thanks for posting those interesting catalog sheets. Arco either made or distributed a variety of products.

I have a 13.5/3.8 Arco Tele-Collinar lens that looks like a quality product. I'll check a couple of my store catalogs from the period and see if I can find other products.

Harry
 
Peter,

The site doesn't appear to allow attaching PDF files anymore. I tried converting the scan to a png but the site also appears to restrict png files to dimensions of 900 by zero (kind of one dimensional ;-).

Here is a copy of the manual for an ARCO LF4 Tripod.

Harry - if you search my posts you can find the rest of the catalog (it was in 4 parts).

Regards,

Bruce
 
gordonb said:
Peter,

My dad bought an ARCO tripod with his IV-Sb in Korea in 1954 from this Catalog (See page 10 under Accesories).


Hi Bruce,

Ah as soon as I saw the green sheets I recognised it as the "Balcom Trading Co Mail Order Catalog" dated 1954, of which I have a P/copy. It is interesting to see the comparison of Japan/Korea prices against selling price in the USA. A good example is the IVSB (IVS2 in US) + 50mm f/1.8 lens which would sell for $150 US$ but in the US the same camera/ lens combination would cost you $295.00. Lots of $$$ in those days.

Thanks for the PDF file of the tripod. At least I know now that Arco was a Japanese company as I wasn't sure if it was a US or Japanese company. Jardine the Canon agent in Japan mentions the ARCO tripod in two of there brochures I own and Skinner the US agent also mentions Arco Tripods.

But there is no mention of how the Arco tripod was sold with the Canon Camera Holder but I think this case has been specially made for this combination by someone else. The case has no markings anywhere on it.
Peter
 
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