Brownie cameras - Part 1
Kodak Brownies
The Palmer Cox mythical creatures were such a hit in their day that George Eastman used them to market his box cameras.
No. 2 Brownie –
Introduced in 1901, a year after the first Brownie was introduced as a simple and affordable camera
No. 2A Brownie Film 120
Introduced in 1901, it was the first to use 120 film
No. 2A Brownie 116 film
This camera was introduced in 1907 and stayed in production until 1936, with millions made
The introduction of bakelite Brownies didn’t deter Kodak from simultaneous production of box cameras, still branded as Brownies. Phil’s fascination with Art Deco and Moderne design no doubt prompted him to seek out examples with period facades. Most of his deco and moderne cameras, though, were made by companies other than Kodak.
The Six-16 Brownie
1933-41
http://www.brownie-camera.com/60.shtml
This is an example of one of the art deco designs in Phil’s collection.
Brownie Junior Six-20
(1934-42) –
A stunning example of geometric art deco on the front panel. The camera also featured two viewfinders
Brownie Target Six-20
(1946-52)
Another example of fine art deco design on camera which also features the dual viewfinders.
Brownie Six-20 Flasholder.
The Flasholder instruction manuals, and controls on all the early cameras in this collection are reminders of the challenges that even people’s cameras posed in the first half-century of popular photography.
The bakelite-bodied Baby Brownie was designed by Walter Dorwin Teague and produced from the 1930s – 1950s. Phil included a photo of this camera in his history of American objects, Made in USA.
Phil’s friend, the late design collector George Kravis, donated an example to the Cooper Hewitt
https://www.cooperhewitt.org/2016/08/30/21213/
https://www.amazon.com/Made-U-S-Secret-Histories-America/dp/0802112765
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