Primoflex (Type I) with Toko 7.5cm f/3.5 in NKS Shutter (1/200 sec, with Flash Sync.), Made by Tōkyō Kōgaku (Topcon) for Ōsawa (Distributor), Circa 1951

Primoflex Type I (Flash Sync.) Body No. (None), with Toko 7.5 cm f/3.5, Tokyo Optical Co., Viewing Lens No. 109292, Taking lens No. 113335, in NKS Shutter (1/200 sec) No. 19272 with Case, Made Circa 1951. Item was sourced from the Japanese (domestic) Market.

The Primoflex is a series of TLR cameras for 6×6 cm exposures on 120 film, made by Tōkyō Kōgaku (Topcon) circa 1950 - 1952 for the distributor Ōsawa. There were several models. Some of the cameras were also sold under the name Laurelflex, and Tōkyō Kōgaku sold some models itself under name Topcoflex; however, the Primoflex cameras are more common.

The original Primoflex model from 1950 has Tōkō 75 mm f/3.5 lenses and an NKS shutter giving speeds from 1 to 1/200 second, plus 'B'. It has conventional film advance, with a red window.

The Primoflex (Type I) has the addition of a flash synchronization terminal.

An article in the January 1951 issue of Photo Art (フォトアート) describes a camera that is believed to be the Primoflex I, the same camera in this collection. That article describes the Tōkō lenses as 'hard-coated'. It mentions both flash synchronization and auto-stop winding, and describes the camera with an NKS shutter, consistent with the example in this collection.

Ōsawa (大沢) (Distributor / "Primo" Brand Owner)

Ōsawa (大沢) was a Japanese distributor from the 1930s to the 1960s. The company was already active in 1937 as K.K. Ōsawa Shōkai (㈱大沢商会), with an address in Kyoto. It was the distributor of the Rosen Four and Semi Rosen. It perhaps owned the "Rosen" trademark, and it is likely that it was also the distributor of the Rosen plate folder and Baby Rosen 3×4cm camera.

In the early 1940s, the company distributed the Primo folders made by Daiichi Kikō. By 1940 it had opened a branch in Tokyo, at Ginza 42–5.[2] By the end of the year this became the main address of the company, which also had branches in Nagoya, Ogura and Seoul, in addition to the original shop in Kyoto.

By early 1944, the company was operating as Ōsawa Sangyō K.K. (大沢産業㈱), a name that was used only for a short time.

In 1948 it was again operating under the name and the only remaining address was that in Ginza.

In the 1950s, the company reused the "Primo" trademark (which it probably owned) for the Primoflex and Primo Jr TLR cameras made by Tōkyō Kōgaku.

Tōkyō Kōgaku / Topcon (Lens / Camera Manufacturer)

The company was founded in 1932 as Tōkyō Kōgaku Kikai K.K. (東京光学機械㈱, Tokyo Optical Company, Ltd). It was based in Tokyo and remained dependent of Hattori Tokei-ten until 1947.

It was initially an optical company. Their first lens was the State (ステート) triplet, made available in 1933. It was followed in 1934[6] by the Toko (トーコー) triplet and in 1935 by the Simlar (シムラー) four-element lens.

It began producing 39mm screw lenses immediately after the war, notable mounted on the Leotax cameras.

The company's first camera was the Lord, released in 1937. In 1938 it launched the Minion 4×5cm folders. Their first 35mm cameras was the Minion 35 in 1948

In 1950 they produced the Topcoflex 6×6 TLR which was mainly distributed as the Primoflex and Laurelflex. This was the first appearance of the "Topco" name, probably from Tokyo Optical Company.

The Topcon brand name appeared in 1953 on the Topcon 35, successor of the Minion 35 series, and the Topcor lens name appeared in 1954, soon replacing all the previous lens names.

See;

camera-wiki.org/wiki/Primoflex
camera-wiki.org/wiki/%C5%8Csawa
camera-wiki.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dky%C5%8D_K%C5%8Dgaku

#TōkyōKōgakuKikaiK.K., #東京光学機械㈱, #TokyoOpticalCompany,Ltd., #TokyoOpticalCo., #TōkyōKōgaku, #Topcon, #Topcoflex, #Primoflex, #Laurelflex, #Ōsawa, #大沢, #K.K.ŌsawaShōkai, #㈱大沢商会, #ŌsawaSangyōK.K., #大沢産業㈱, #K.K.ŌsawaShōkai, #㈱大沢商会, #Primocameras,

TPHC Item No. 20240515_04_01

Taken on: May 24, 2024

Tags:

Tōkyō Kōgaku Kikai K.K.

” 東京光学機械㈱”

Tokyo Optical Co.

Tōkyō Kōgaku

Topcon

Topcoflex

Primoflex

Laurelflex

Ōsawa

大沢

K.K. Ōsawa Shōkai

㈱大沢商会

Ōsawa Sangyō K.K.

大沢産業㈱

Primo cameras « less

Sets appears in: • Early Short-lived Japanese Camera Brands • Primo Cameras (Ōsawa) more » • Topcon Lenses and Cameras « less

Groups appears in: • Camera-wiki.org

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