The "Life" Nikon S in Journal

Author	Comment
Wes Loder	The "Life" Nikon S in Journal	Lead	[-]
Posts: 317 (10/03/2007 08:38 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None While I would not dispute that the two Nikon Ss shown in the most recent issue of the Journal are indeed matching special order Nikons, I am not so certain that they are part of the notable "special" order that Life Magazine made in the winter of 1950-1951. The serial number of the featured Nikon S begins with 610XXXX, which would place its production in the fall of 1951 at the earliest. John Wolbarst indicates that Life's special bulk order through OFITRA of 20 outfits plus Leica mount lenses was completed by the end of March, 1951. Therefore, any Nikons from that order, black or not, special knobs or not, would have a serial number in the M6093XXX range. This featured camera may be part of a later order, and might not even have gone to Life. WES
Nikon HS Webmaster	Well I leave to the pundits...	#1	[-]
Posts: 2120 (10/03/2007 08:49 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Confused? I know I am... Hopefully the sale of this camera will bring up more information about them. I know one thing for sure, this new body just adds to the mystery, if it had been the same as the other one it would have been different, but the fact that they are so different just raises more questions. Last Edited By: Nikon HS Webmaster 10/28/2007 07:34 PM. Edited 14 times.
Wes Loder		#2	[-]
Posts: 317 (10/03/2007 01:19 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	That would be the correct Wolbarst. His article on the Nikon, which appeared in the June 1951 issue of Modern Photography-at least four months earlier than the featured camera would have been made-is the most in-depth look, contemporary article on the early Nikon, particularly its history. Whatever issues you personally might have with Wolbarst as a reporter, I see no reason to question that article, or Deschin, who also reported that Life was considering ordering Nikons in his famous NYT article the previous December. From these two contemporary reports, I would conclude that Life placed the order in late December or early January and that OFITRA had received and delivered the goods by the end of March. WES
Nikon HS Webmaster		#3	[-]
Posts: 2120 (10/03/2007 04:53 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	More from Wes to clarify the order of cameras for Life mag photogs: Wolbarst stated in his article that "Finally a group of the photographers got together and made up a bulk order which Life placed for them with the Overseas Finance & Trading Co., Inc., 465 California St., San Francisco, importers of the camera. A checkup at the end of March showed that Life's top photographers had bought over 20 complete Nikon outfits, plus numerous lenses to fit Leicas." I note that Wolbarst does not state that Life actually bought the cameras for itself, but merely acted as a middleman or broker in arranging the purchases. He does not define who he means by "top" photographers. Nor does he state that these Nikons were in anyway special, unlike the rewind crank Nikon Ss which appear to be factory-mods at the request of the photographers who owned them. These 20 outfits could have gone far and wide. OFITRA did not yet have a sales force in place for the east coast and Life may have been filling the role until OFITRA got going. Last Edited By: Nikon HS Webmaster 10/21/2007 11:32 PM. Edited 8 times.
Nikon HS Webmaster		#4	[-]
Posts: 2120 (10/08/2007 07:35 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hi Wes, Received this from Bob today; Black S, can't get provenance from Skinner. Arakawa quite old and never really told me his provenance. Just that he has had it since the early fifties. Time line on the site puts a bit too much credence on 'when' the cameras Wolbarst spoke of were actually produced. I dont think we can assume it was by march or April. It could have taken a year to get them to NY. Then the numbers would be later. But you know.....stories and myths such as this keep our interest up. We may never know all the facts. Most of the people involved are dead or cannot remember back that far. Am I wrong in saying it is not a myth anymore? I could be but then it doesnt take away from the fact it is an interesting piece and more than one now has been located. Its the same for the 'Trifocal SP' from years back. Could we ever be sure what that really was? And why have we not been able to locate any SPs with no 28/35 finders and the rewind shaft visible? There is the persistent rumor they were made! But then, there was also Rothschilds passing remark about the SPX which turned out to be true. Last Edited By: Nikon HS Webmaster 10/09/2007 09:55 AM. Edited 1 times.
NIKON KIU	EBAY AUCTION PICTURES	#5	[-]
Posts: 2141 (10/18/2007 04:36 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	DESCRIPTION: Rare Black Nikon S "Life Magazine" Camera No. 6101424, 24 x 34mm, black paint, white paint-filled engravings, the top-plate engraved Nippon Kogaku, Tokyo, leather-covered body, shutter speeds B, 20-1, 30, 40, 60, 100, 200, 500, enlarged wind and rewind knobs for field use, chrome lens and tripod mounts, and a Nippon Kogaku Nikkor-H.C. f/2 5cm lens no. 625463. Condition: 5B(iv). Note: A rare example of the Nikon S produced as a special order for Life magazine photographers, with black-paint finish and high-profile wind and rewind knobs. Life magazine was apparently so impressed with the quality of the images taken with Nikon cameras by Korean war photographers such as David Douglas Duncan and Carl Mydams that they put in an order for twenty customized cameras for their staff. Camera No. 6101424 is one of two surviving examples known; the other, No. 6196936, resides in Tokyo. Litereature: See the current issue of Nikon Historical Society Journal. Thanks to Robert Rotoloni for his assistance in cataloguing this lot. Listing link: http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190164129384 Kiu Last Edited By: NIKON KIU 10/22/2007 02:04 AM. Edited 1 times.
NIKON KIU		#6	[-]
Posts: 2141 (10/22/2007 02:02 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Fred, how much do you figure? Kiu
joseph xayraa		#7	[-]
Posts: 11 (10/22/2007 04:51 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	If they are two of a kind and not part of that Life magazine order of twenty units, they would be plenty rare if their history existed. too bad Nikon does not get involved to prove these cameras claims. they would certainly have the expertise and the money to buy them if needed, plus Nikon actually likes its glorious history like we do, unlike that other giant japanese camera company. if real, Nikon can use these black cameras in a cool ad for the D3.
Nikon HS Webmaster		#8	[-]
Posts: 2120 (10/22/2007 07:46 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	There is a link to the Life magazine S cameras on the HNS site. These are cameras we have confirmed. A 'RAPID REWIND' NIKON S?? TWO NIKONS SHARE A.... SPECIAL FEATURE by BILL KRAUS with MASAHIKO FUKETA Reprinted from NHS-59 Mar. 31, 1998 "This camera, once the provenance of LIFE magazine photographer Michael Rougier, is, presumably, one of the special order cameras. Special, since it was ordered black and has the crank rewinder. (For the record, this camera was auctioned by Christie's South Kensington on June 8, 1995, and realized 19,125 pounds!)" Last Edited By: Nikon HS Webmaster 10/28/2007 07:35 PM. Edited 2 times.
NIKON KIU		#9	[-]
Posts: 2141 (10/25/2007 01:45 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Nikon HS Webmaster wrote: Confused? I know I am... Both of these cameras are being offered as far as I can tell with no provenance whatsoever. They are what they are. After many hours of asking questions of Robert and others I have come to the firm conclusion that there is no evidence of where these two cameras came from. Clearly the one we have known about all these years, has one really odd part, and the "new" one is more in keeping with Nikon parts. Arakawa-san does not need to provide any "evidence"...He claims he owns this camera since early 50s, That means it was new,since Arakawa-san was an employee(Boss) at that time. What does a late serial number prove? Kiu
Nikon HS Webmaster		#10	[-]
Posts: 2120 (10/25/2007 07:32 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Arakawa-san does not need to provide any "evidence"...He claims he owns this camera since early 50s, That means it was new,since Arakawa-san was an employee(Boss) at that time. What does a late serial number prove? Arakawa simply does not remember the camera's origin. The S2 parts are in Arakawa's camera could of be part from prototypes. But whatever he simply does not remember who the camera was made for, or even if it was from Nikon. Like the Jun Miki one it could have been traded. Kiu this is not a matter of "evidence," no one is looking for a fake here, this is a search for the history of the cameras.
NIKON KIU		#11	[-]
Posts: 2141 (10/27/2007 12:47 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Nikon HS Webmaster wrote: Arakawa simply does not remember the camera's origin. Really?? That simple? He is being polite!! Kiu
NIKON KIU		#12	[-]
Posts: 2141 (10/27/2007 01:00 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	NIKON KIU wrote: Ahaaaa!! Nice new twist SKINNER put in the picture. May be all the noise we made,did make a difference. Kiu Last Edited By: NIKON KIU 10/27/2007 03:57 PM. Edited 1 times.
NIKON KIU		#13	[-]
Posts: 2141 (10/28/2007 01:35 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	In case anyone wonders what a live bid screen looks like. Kiu Last Edited By: NIKON KIU 10/28/2007 02:35 PM. Edited 1 times.
Nikon HS Webmaster		#14	[-]
Posts: 2120 (10/28/2007 07:25 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Now that is what we call provenance! Phillip Hobson (1922-2006) was an AU photographer, often in the Korean war, and of course Carl Mydans worked for life. Carl Mydans may well be the best of the Life photographers. Now who is Marvin? Closed at US $24,000 -- So Kiu did you buy it? Now that would make you a COLLECTOR. Last Edited By: Nikon HS Webmaster 10/28/2007 07:33 PM. Edited 1 times.
NIKON KIU		#15	[-]
Posts: 2141 (10/28/2007 08:39 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	No. THE collector bought it! I'll never be a real collector Kiu
nsp9107	Black S	#16	[-]
Posts: 950 (10/28/2007 09:13 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	same bidder bought the black S and the nikon I, nice, not me ...... but it was the Collector
rotoloni		#17	[-]
Posts: 64 (10/28/2007 09:19 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	So it looks like it was Mydan's camera at one time. He was an early visitor to the factory and there is a photo in my book of him with Watanabe and Nagoaka. Nice provenance. Hey Fred, I guess your concern brought it out from whomever the owner was! RJR
Nikon HS Webmaster		#18	[-]
Posts: 2120 (10/28/2007 09:36 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I am not surprised that Bob bought it. Amazing the pieces he has come into lately. The S2E being the nicest, but this is great.
NIKON KIU		#19	[-]
Posts: 2141 (10/28/2007 10:18 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Soooooo Bob, Who is Marvin? Judging by all the Leica stuff SKINNER sold, I figure he was a Leica guy Kiu Last Edited By: NIKON KIU 10/28/2007 11:21 PM. Edited 1 times.
Nikon HS Webmaster		#20	[-]
Posts: 2120 (10/28/2007 11:09 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	So it looks like it was Mydan's camera at one time. He was an early visitor to the factory and there is a photo in my book of him with Watanabe and Nagoaka. Nice provenance. Hey Fred, I guess your concern brought it out from whomever the owner was! RJR I really think that cameras are an important part of our history. Provenance as important as other collectibles. Someday you are going to donate that camera to the Smithsonian aren't you? OK maybe not :-) Still this may well be the most important Nikon camera in the US, from the standpoint of who owned it. Here is what is on the Nikon site: "When the Korean War broke out on the 25th of June, DUNCAN who was staying in Japan went to the front line with two "Leica IIIc's" equipped with a NIKKOR-S.C 5cm f/1.5 and a NIKKOR-Q.C 13.5cm f/4 respectively. A few days later, Carl MYDANS, who was famous as a photographer for "LIFE" since its inauguration, was dispatched particularly to cover the Korean War. MYDANS, pushed by DUNCAN"s rather forceful recommendation, visited our company, and also bought Nikkor lenses for his favorite "Contax". For this purpose, our company modified the range finder coupling section of the "NIKKOR-P.C 8.5cm f/2" and the "NIKKOR-Q.C 13.5cm f/3.5" prototype lens for "Contax" in July. Later, he also changed his camera to Nikon. DUNCAN and MYDANS took almost all of their pictures of the Korean War with their Nikkor lenses. Numerous valuable pictures were carried in the pages of "LIFE." and they won the "U.S. Camera Awards" of 1950 for those works." "Consequently, based on the experiences of the "LIFE" photographers who covered the Korean War, a Nikon with a black painted finish, designed to minimize light reflects that could be observed by others, was made. This was the first black colored Nikon body." Carl Mydans and David Douglas Duncan, Korea, 1950 Last Edited By: Nikon HS Webmaster 10/28/2007 11:57 PM. Edited 6 times.

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The "Life" Nikon S in Journal

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