trio of box Tengors – photo by Bob Lansdale
Toronto. After WW1, the German camera industry was in a crisis – too many companies making too many cameras that were very similar. The government invited Zeiss to the dance and the mighty Zeiss-Ikon was formed. Zeiss Ikon and a few independent camera makers like Rollei and Leica became the new German camera industry.
One survivor was the name “Box Tengor”. On the front cover of issue 36-4 of our journal, editor Bob Lansdale featured a trio of Tengors dating from c1926-c1956. The image was upscaled by Topaz Photo AI which also made the lettering a bit odd.
In Bob’s own words, “Three samples of the Zeiss Box Tengor cameras are displayed on our cover. They were part of the recent Engel’s Estate Auction and represent models from 1926 (at the top) through to 1956 (at bottom). This covers the turbulent time in Germany when it was trying to regain dominance in photography manufacturing.
“Germany needed foreign currency to pay off World War I debts and to stabilize runaway inflation. German camera manufacturers Contessa-Nettel, Ernemann, Goerz and Ica merged to form Zeiss Ikon in 1926 requiring the elimination of many competing cameras and models. The Box Tengor survived.”
Browse the web to learn more, or if possible pick up the very rare and massive (7.5 pounds) book “Zeiss and Photography” by Larry Gubas. This book was printed in Manitoba by Friesens. I purchased a copy as did a few other PHSC members when the book was initially sold. contrary to some internet commentary the book is not “1.58 pounds” and did indeed have an editor (associated with the west coast publisher).
