Odd kardon civilian camera

[rgraphex]

kardon civilian camera
Would anybody have a copy of The Kardon Camera Story by Katz? I have bought a kardon civilian with no serial or name engraved on the top plate. Bottom is marked USA. I know some have no serial numbers The odd thing is this one has a black winding knob and counter numbers in white I was thinking someone could shed some light on this?

 

[rgraphex]

another photo

another photo

another photo

 

[B-9]

That looks unusual.. i wonder why they wouldn't match the rewind knob? But have a black accent on the base latch.

Possibly repair bits?

Congrats on your purchase!

 

[rgraphex]

Im sorry the photo created a shadow base latch is also chrome. Rewind knob has the exact pattern as the wind knob.

 

[farlymac]

Someone could have had a black wind knob and counter dial installed because it was easier for them to read, or it was a custom production run for some outfit that wanted it that way.

PF

 

[rgraphex]

Custom production sounds most likely. I sent it to be cleaned maybe there will be some internal markings

 

[rgraphex]

I had the camera cleaned by Youxin Ye The chassis number is 14xx So I guess a late model

 

[Roger Hicks]

Assembled from leftovers, maybe? This happened with Reid.

Cheers,

R.

 

[rgraphex]

Thanks Roger that is got to be it. Still I never seen a Kardon painted black or any black parts. But cased closed leftovers sounds like the answer.

 

[rgraphex]

Except serial 144x is odd I seen later serials of 16xx still engraved. Could have been a left over body

 

[rgraphex]

Just one more wide eyed off the wall piece of speculation. I recently read some cameras were used for espionage has any one seen one used for espionage? Could that explain no name and easy to read film counter?

 

[Roger Hicks]

Just one more wide eyed off the wall piece of speculation. I recently read some cameras were used for espionage has any one seen one used for espionage? Could that explain no name and easy to read film counter?

Quite easily. The easily read film counter, anyway. More cameras were used for espionage than most people think. One friends who used to work in intelligence favoured Rolleiflex TLRs. As he said, if you're caught carrying a spy camera, it looks suspicious, but with a Rollei you can say, "Don't be bloody ridiculous. Who'd use a camera this size to take clandestine pictures?" (But he did).

Cheers,

R.