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About
15 years ago, a dealer at one of our New York shows offered
a Nikon S. It sat on his table all day, no one bought it.
Why? Because $500.00 in l983 was big bucks for a common model
S. But what was not common about that camera, I was not to
see again for some time. And this time I grabbed it, for as
we all know, lightning almost never strikes twice. It is a
Nikon S with a rapid rewind lever The genuine article, factory
made, crank rewinder!
Rumor has it amongst those of us in the greater New York area,
that Joe Ehrenreich had a handful of these most useful parts
made, and gave them to a few friends. History, I later learned,
did not begin with Joe Ehrenreich. It began a few years earlier.
Our
good friend, Masahiko Fuketa, was kind enough to share his
recollections of the origin of this unique item, and added
to our understanding as follows: "One
day (maybe in 1951/52), while Mr. Jun Miki (the late chairman
of the Nikkor Club, then a staff photographer for LlFE magazine)
was talking with our engineers, he suggested to improve the
rewind system of the Nikon S. According to him, as the diameter
of the rewind knob on our camera was larger compared to Leica,
it took him more time to rewind a roll of film. They discussed
the matter enthusiastically and came to a conclusion to make
a prototype crank rewinder. The prototype was tested by him
then he requested further improvement, and we tried again.
Perhaps he boasted of the new rewinder among other LIFE photographers,
and consequently LIFE gave us a minor order for its production.
As Mr. Joe Ehrenreich entered the Nikon business in 1953 and
we introduced the Nikon S2 in December 1954, it was feasible
that he placed a similar order with us. However, we have no
means to verify this.
"About
15 years ago, a dealer at one of our New York shows offered
a Nikon S. It sat on his table all day, no one bought it.
Why? Because $500.00 in l983 was big bucks for a common model
S. But what was not common about that camera, I was not to
see again for some time. And this time I grabbed it, for as
we all know, lightning almost never strikes twice. It is a
Nikon S with a rapid rewind lever The genuine article, factory
made, crank rewinder!
Rumor has it amongst those of us in the greater New York area,
that Joe Ehrenreich had a handful of these most useful parts
made, and gave them to a few friends. History, I later learned,
did not begin with Joe Ehrenreich. It began a few years earlier.
Our
good friend, Masahiko Fuketa, was kind enough to share his
recollections of the origin of this unique item, and added
to our understanding as follows: "One
day (maybe in 1951/52), while Mr. Jun Miki (the late chairman
of the Nikkor Club, then a staff photographer for LlFE magazine)
was talking with our engineers, he suggested to improve the
rewind system of the Nikon S. According to him, as the diameter
of the rewind knob on our camera was larger compared to Leica,
it took him more time to rewind a roll of film. They discussed
the matter enthusiastically and came to a conclusion to make
a prototype crank rewinder. The prototype was tested by him
then he requested further improvement, and we tried again.
Perhaps he boasted of the new rewinder among other LIFE photographers,
and consequently LIFE gave us a minor order for its production.
As Mr. Joe Ehrenreich entered the Nikon business in 1953 and
we introduced the Nikon S2 in December 1954, it was feasible
that he placed a similar order with us. However, we have no
means to verify this."
Two
very different looking Nikons, yet they are actually very
similar. This mid-production black Nikon M is not that different
in design than this late production chrome Nikon S. But they
share something very significant: both are fitted with a vintage
Nikon-made crank rewinder. By vintage I mean that the black
version, being earlier, is made a bit wider than the later
chrome type, which is typical for the knobs on Nikons made
at different times.
As
they years passed, Nikon made the knob taller and narrower,
and these two crank rewinds follow this same process. This
makes sense: They would modify a rewind knob concurrent with
the body it was to be used on! Including the one that Bill
mentions he saw at that New York camera show, at least 3 such
Nikons have surfaced More must be out there, but it will always
be one of those strange and wonderful 'finds " that make collecting
fun. (Photos of chrome Nikon S by Bill Rraus: those of black
M from Robert Rotoloni)
Fuketa-san's
recollection is reinforced with the recent discovery of a
black Nikon M 6092934, which has the crank rewinder. 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!)
The
rewind on the Nikon S shown here, body #6123243, it appears
identical to that on the LIFE camera, sans the black finish.
Comparing it to the standard knob on the 3 model S, it is
a millimeter larger in diameter, but the design, engraving,
fluting and metallurgy are identical. Now, the question is,
"How many Nikon cameras came from the factory this way?"
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