WEHA Chrome 6-II c1938 photo courtesy of John Keesing
Toronto. You likely never heard of the Weha camera – its name sounds more like a cowboy shouting a top a horse! However in the WW2 time frame, the little Japanese camera was sold in the far east.
As I mentioned earlier, our late editor, Bob Lansdale, celebrated our 25th by asking exchange members to offer suitable articles. We got a dilly from Ian Carron, co-editor of Back Focus, the journal of the Australian Photographic Collectors Society (Inc).
Ian once owned a camera shop “down under” and tells the tale of a rare used WEHA camera he sent off for repair after purchase. Ian recounts, “One of the most interesting cameras to appear in my shop recently was the one illustrated [left]. The Weha Chrome-Six, a quite rare camera from the WW II era. It was brought in by a lass from Queensland, visiting her parents, and had been brought back from Japan by her father who was in the occupation forces at the end of hostilities.
“The condition was rather poor, mainly due to laying around unused for so long. I sent the camera to Yoshi of Nagami Camera Service at Mooroolbark and his estimate was around $120, mainly in labour.
“Contacting the owner I found that they needed a quick sale as their son had become victim of ‘Crown Casino Fever’, had lost his house, his marriage and then ended his own life. The money was needed to help pay for his funeral. What does one do in that situation?
“Contacting other society members, we worked out a fair value, I paid them and then requested Yoshi go ahead and recondition the camera. This was one of the easier jobs and, after some weeks, he advised that the courier had arrived before he’d packed the camera but waited while he did so.
“Being in a hurry, as couriers usually are, he did not wait for Yoshi to address the parcel, explaining that he knew us…and that is where the camera went missing!
“There was much anxiety to think that this gem-of-history might slip from my hands and never be seen again. The courier misunderstood Yoshi and sent it to CHA, one of our wholesale suppliers, while we are C&H.
“Eventually it worked out. The item was tracked down and arrived into my (by now) sweaty and anxious hands. ? – Ian Carron”
The entire article is shown here. The rest ( cut line, preamble, etc.) can be seen on the issue 25-1 pdf (sorry, it’s members only). Come out to the PHSC fall events. While you may not see a WEHA, you will have a good time and be able to add to your collection. See us at the fall fair on October 19th. (Details are in the 25-7 PHSC News and will be posted her closer to the fair time.
