developing a taste for Minox cameras
Toronto. In the late 1950s, I bought a Minox IIIs, tank, enlarger, etc. After the camera was lost in the mail, I bought a new Minox IIIB. The IIIs and older cameras were about the size of a package of gum. Petite and well engineered, the cameras were designed and first manufactured in Riga. Post war, production went to Wetzlar where cameras like mine were made.
The idea of a ‘detective’ or ‘spy’ camera goes back many years. The first use of the tiny negatives seems to by by John Dancer and his ‘Stanhopes‘. As media became more sophisticated and faster, the detective camera era arrived. Typical designs were like those of Dr Krugener or C P Stirn’s Vest camera. Such cameras were basically hand held and looked like a valise etc and not a camera (with tripod, visible bellows, etc.).
During WW2 and later ‘spy’ cameras or ultra miniature designs proliferated led by the amazing little Minox. At left you see the tiny developing tank used to process the little films and (enlarged view) the special cases to hold negatives.
By the way, our trunk sale is coming up again on Sunday, July 16th and you just might find a tiny Minox or other gem for your collection. Drop bye – its free and so is the parking …
