Tag Leather Cases

Hallmarks on early Japanese leather camera cases

Chris and Carol Leave a comment

1953
After 6 decades of use, this leather case for the Yashima Flex TLR camera stands strong. It is relatively rare to see a Yashima-branded item outside of Japan; this represents the first time Yashima used its name on a case.
I don’t believe Yashima-Yashica made their own leather cases. As a start-up company back in the early 1950s, Yashima and other camera manufacturers likely contracted outside companies to make their leather cases and branded goods so that they could focus on their core activities. Many of these early cases have distinct markings on the bottom, indicating the hallmark of the company that produced it.

From 1953, a beautiful example of a Yashima leather case.
An early example of a hallmark on the bottom of the case.
Another hallmark.

I have a few additional examples in my collection – time to dig them out and photograph them. Have you seen a Japanese leather case with what appears to be a hallmark? Please, share if you do. Thanks for stopping by, Chris

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Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by, and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, is this blog’s property and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris.

Copyright © 2015-2024 Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris (Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic), Chris Whelan
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Vintage Japanese Leather Camera Cases

Chris and Carol 1 Comment

Here’s a small sample of some pretty rare (or at least super hard to find) leather cases from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s.

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Coolest camera logo ever! Pluto 7

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From Konishiroku (later became Konica) Semi-Pearl 4.5x6cm folding medium format 120 roll film camera – ca. 1938

The Semi-Pearl was the first camera made in late 1938. As I understand, there were other models made during the war, and after that became somewhat popular. Still, finding a leather case from the thirties is super rare as most have fallen apart.

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Konishiroku Konilette (later became Konica) 35mm compact film camera – ca. 1953

This Konilette used a 35mm film without sprocket holes so the image was just a tad larger than a traditional 35mm image size.

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Shichiyo Kogaku of Tokyo Pluto Six P medium format folding 120 roll film camera – ca. 1955

As I understand it, there were only two camera models made by Shichiyo – the Pluto Six P and the Pluto Six L. The cameras are super rare so finding an intact leather case after all these years is hyper rare. The “Pluto 7” logo derives from the Japanese word for seven – shichi which is part of the company name and is considered good luck.

These are currently available in my online (Etsy) camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com

If you have one (or all) of these cameras then you’ll appreciate just how rare it is to find the cases in excellent condition. Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful weekend! – Chris

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, are the property of this blog and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris.

Copyright © 2015-2020 Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Chris Whelan
All rights reserved.

Yashima-Yashica Leather

Chris and Carol Leave a comment

A misleading title? We’re not sure. It’s doubtful that in Yashima’s early days of camera manufacturing, that they made their own leather case goods. They had plenty on their plate already – lens production (mostly testing), machining parts, pouring cast aluminum bodies, stamping out metal pieces and of course, putting it all together in a box and shipping it off to various Trading Companies and camera dealers around Japan and the world. Oh did we mention, inventing new camera designs too.

We believe that Yashima-Yashica had their leather case goods made by at least 4 different suppliers – each with their own maker’s marks stamped on the bottom of the case.

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Could the trademark be ‘Tomioka Kogaku’? In the early days of Yashima/Yashica, did they use leather cases made by outside companies? More than likely since they would not have had the facilities or skills to produce quality leather products in large quantities IMO.

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This image is of the bottom of our Yashicaflex Rookie’s leather camera case. Some of the 1950s era Yashima-Yashica cases have similar marks. With an occasional exception, most 1960s era cases do not carry these marks.

The mystery… we believe that these are ‘maker’s marks’ or trademarks of the company that manufactured the case for Yashima-Yashica. The marks are similar to marks found on Japanese tin toys from the same period. Our theory is that Yashica did not have the facilities or skills to make leather cases on their own in the early days of production and that outside leather crafters added their individual trademarks to the cases.

Other marks that we’ve seen… T.K , NT , GSS and another K.K but in a diamond shaped box.

If you know of the origins of these type of marks on Japanese leather goods please add your comments. We would love to know for sure.

Thanks… C&C ^.^