Original U.S. WWII Navy Mark I Submarine Periscope 35mm Still Camera by Kodak in Original Transit Case - Very Rare
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Original Item. Only One Available. This is an extraordinarily scarce Submarine periscope camera developed by Kodak for the U.S. Navy. The camera has a periscope piece mounted onto the top which screws into a submarine periscope for photography. From a 1947 newspaper:
“The Eastman Kodak Company has made public its development of submarine periscope camera that can be used to snap shoreline close-ups at better than one picture a second. Kodak said that the first of the new models were delivered to the Navy late in World War I and that delivery to the submarine fleet now had been completed. However, information about the camera previously was restricted. A special film case makes possible development of a sheet of film in daylight in less than 60 seconds. Generally, however, the camera used aerial film in 20-foot lengths and standard developing times are required the company said. The camera, designed for reconnaissance work, affords low-angle, assault troop view of a beachhead, Kodak reported. Its four-inch-square photographs can be pieced together to form a mosaic of a shoreline.”
This example comes in outstanding condition in its original transit case. The camera retains its original data plate on the periscope piece, reading:
U.S. NAVY
BUREAU OF SHIPS
SUB-PERISCOPE
STILL CAMERA
35mm.
Serial No. S-85-197
MARK I
MADE IN U.S.A. BY
EASTMAN KODAK CO.
ROCHESTER, N.Y.
The lens is still mostly clear and the camera appears in great near-functional condition, but we have no way to test this. The bottom of the camera is stamped 130588. The case comes with the original leather strap, but it shows heavy crazing and cracking, and is no longer connected to the camera.
The case measures 8 x 6 x 5 ½” and retains the data plate:
U.S. NAVY - BUREAU OF SHIPS
CARRY CASE FOR
SUB. PERISCOPE STILL
CAMERA - 35mm
MARK I
MADE IN U.S.A. BY EASTMAN KODAK CO.
ROCHESTER, N.Y.
An outstanding piece in all regards, ready for further research and display!
- This product is available for international shipping.
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