Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is an outstanding example of the scarce Japanese Type 100 Aerial Camera, manufactured by Konishi Rokusha Kogyo Co., Ltd. Konishi Rokusha Kogyo Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Konishiroku Photo Industry) was a historic Japanese manufacturer of photographic film, cameras, and lenses. This example comes in its original transit chest with the smaller chest inside for the lens which is still intact. The chest is named in several places to Lieutenant Jack Buell Anger, an Army Air Forces pilot who flew with the Air Transport Command during the Philippine and Okinawa campaigns. Anger captured this camera in the original chest and brought it home as a souvenir. Attached to the strap of the smaller interior chest is a baggage identification tag also named to Lt. Anger. 

The Army Type 100 Small Aerial Camera (SK-100) is a hand-held aerial camera, introduced in 1940. It seems that it was mainly produced by Konishiroku. From U.S. reports of detailed production figures, it appears that in total, 4,269 of these cameras were delivered by the end of the war, making it a very rare variant.

At least some SK-100 cameras were also produced by Chiyoda Kōgaku (predecessor of Minolta) or by Katsura Seisakusho. Some sources insist in attributing the SK-100 to Chiyoda altogether, but it rather seems that the camera was developed by Konishiroku, drawing on its longer experience of aerial cameras, and that the other manufacturers played a secondary role.

This example appears in great service-used condition, though we have no way to tell if it is still functional. The lens still attaches to the front, and the sight still flips up. The camera does not have any film inside, nor is there film in the chest. The camera retains the data plate, naming it as a “Small aviation photographic aircraft (-00 type)” and has Serial Number 4091. This does not match the serial number in the chest, 5068, but it was likely switched out during the period. 

In the chest are a spare empty film roll, spare colored lenses, and the power cord, which likely still works though we have no way of testing it. In the smaller chest inside the chest is the full lens which attaches to the front of the camera, and some spare colored lenses. 

The chest itself retains both carrying ropes to the sides but we do not recommend carrying it by these ropes. The chest is in overall good condition with some large cracks and minor damage. Anger’s name is stenciled in several places and there is a label with his address on the lid on top of the Japanese stencils. The chest measures roughly 20 x 12 ½ x 14” not counting the carry ropes. 

This is an outstanding Japanese aerial camera brought home by a Pilot who flew with the Air Transport Command. A fascinating artifact that comes ready to serve as a centerpiece of your Japanese collection!

The SK-100 takes forty 11.5×16cm pictures on special rollfilm, 18cm wide and 6m long. The camera is much larger than the GSK-99 — its dimensions are 38×29×35cm, and it weighs 6.9kg. There is a built-in focal-plane shutter, giving 1/200, 1/300 and 1/400 speeds.

The camera has a folding frame finder at the top, and large handles on both sides of the body. There is a retractable bubble level, for vertical photography. The main release is a trigger, falling under the right-hand index.

The shutter is of the focal-plane type, with vertically running curtains. It gives 1/200, 1/300 and 1/400 speeds, set by a small button placed at the bottom right of the camera. On some cameras, the selected speed is displayed in a small window on the rear, behind this button, with the indication 露出速度 ("exposure speed"). The slit between the two shutter curtains has a fixed width, and the speed button actually modifies the tension of the main springs. It is said that the slit is constantly open, and that a light shield is raised behind the lens after each exposure, in order not to fog the film.

The camera's back is removable for film loading. The supply spool is inserted at the bottom, and the film runs from bottom to top. There is a glass plate inside the exposure chamber, behind the shutter curtains, to improve the film flatness. The film is advanced and the shutter is wound by turning a large knob on the right. The frame number is displayed on the rear, behind the knob, sometimes with the indication 撮影枚數 ("frame number").

There is an electrical connector on the side of the front barrel, to supply electrical power to two heating resistors built inside the camera, to prevent freezing at high altitude.