Yashica A III | Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

I’ve decided to part with my rather rare Yashica A III camera set. The A III was the last model ‘A’ that Yashica produced in that line and this one was only made between April 1959 to August 1960 with release mostly in Japan and later in Europe in very limited numbers.

This camera was made in November 1959 and features light dove gray leatherette over dark gray metal and it came with a light gray leather case. Everything about this camera is unique, especially the instruction booklet (English gent in the bowler). The booklet is over 80 pages in length and it goes way beyond giving instruction in the operation of the model A III. It includes (in English) a brief history of the beginnings of the company and the founder. I’ve never seen another copy of this booklet in all of my years of collecting Yashica products.

Gray on gray. The gray leatherette is clean and stain and discoloration free.

The camera operates as it should and the optics are clean, clear, and sharp. I believe that the camera has been on display in a collection for a long time before I acquired it. The original box is in outstanding condition and unlike most boxes from that period, it is super clean and still solid. That in itself is a rare find. The gray leather case is also a rare find as it is also still in excellent condition. All of the stitching is in place and the leather is subtle and clean.

The original leather case has done an excellent job of protecting this wonderful camera.

If you are interested in purchasing my camera set I have it in my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com or we can make arrangements to purchase it through this blog and PayPal. As always, thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

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.

I’m a sucker for a classic camera that looks like it was in a museum its whole life and still works like new (who wouldn’t?). I especially love vintage cameras that have some if not all of their original marketing bits and pieces. Here is a perfect example of why I collect and chase classic cameras.

This terrific little eye-catcher is affectionately known as a ‘hat’. That piece of paperboard that’s sitting on top of my Yashica A III. When you went into a camera shop back in the day, there were dozens of shiney new cameras wanting to catch your eye. One way to do so was to plop a hat on your camera to make it stand out and communicate something in the briefest of glances.

Nothing Earth-shaking but enough to tell you something without asking the salesperson anything. The price, some shutter specs, and of course, the type of lens. A nice leather case for another 800 yen. I’ve had a few of these hats from Yashica in my collection and they never fail to put a smile on my face (I know, I’m easily entertained). Thanks for stopping by. Have you seen a similar thing on another brand’s TLR? If so, let me know, or better yet share a pic. Chris

Follow me on Instagram at @ccphotographyai

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Beautiful Yashica A III Set – 1959

A Yashica A III and its ‘hat’…