General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

1

Total Parts

3

AKA

N/A

Patents

N/A

General Description

Synthetic body; glass optics; some metal component parts. CW fabric cord for carrying, in cardboard box.

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

13.3 cm

Width

10.5 cm

Height

6.9 cm

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

N/A

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Photography

Category

Still cameras

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Kodak

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

City

Toronto

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Ontario

Period

This type of camera used c.1941-1950s. This camera used after 1946 (based on manual's publication date)

Canada

This is an example of a Canadian made Brownie Reflex Synchro. This camera was also manufactured in the USA and UK. The model name ‘Brownie’ is named after elf-like creatures created by Canadian author Palmer Cox and popular in the 1890s. This camera was used in Canada after 1946 (based on the manual’s publication date). The camera was given to the donor by her great-aunt Mrs. Steiner of Toronto, its original owner and user. (KE – Notes). Kodak Canada was founded by Eastman Kodak in 1899 in a Toronto shop where employees cut sheet film and fitted lenses on cameras to support the growing potential for a photographic market in Canada. As Canadian interest in photography grew, the company expanded across the country throughout the 20th century to produce in all aspects of photography including still and movie cameras, film, x-ray film, photocopy paper, and photographic chemicals under many popular names including Brownie, Kodacolor, Carousel, and Supermatic.

Function

To record still images on photographic film.

Technical

This is a box roll film pseudo-TLR camera that uses Kodak 127 film to produce square (1 5/8 x 1 5/8 inch) negatives. It is an improvement on the Brownie Reflex (1940) through the addition of synchronized flash capability. The large brilliant reflecting finder was a great improvement over the tiny finders on box cameras to date.

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

'BROWNIE REFLEX/ SYNCHRO MODEL/ MADE IN CANADA BY/ CANADIAN KODAK CO. LIMITED' appears on camera front/ 'OPEN' & 'LOCK' CAST in raised print on mechanism for removing film holder; directional arrow for advancing film appears on film holder, inside camera/ box top reads: 'Brownie/ REFLEX/ Synchro Model [CAMERA ILLUSTRATION]' END PANEL READS: 'Brownie REFLEX Synchro Model/ FINDER SHOWS FULL-SIZE, BRILLIANT IMAGE/ FIXED-FOCUS...NO ADJUSTMENT REQUIRED/ FLASHHOLDER, AVAILABLE AS AN ACCESSORY MAY BE ADDED FOR FLASHLIGHT PICTURES/ TAKES NO.13 KODAK LENS ATTACHMENTS/ TWELVE PICTURES (1 5/8 X 1 5/8 INCHES)/ USE KODAK 127 FILM"./ Side panel displays photograph of camera with accessory flash, and text "FLASHOLDER/ FOR BROWNIE REFLEX/ SYNCHRO MODEL/ AVAILABLE AS AN ACCESSORY/ CONVERTS THIS CAMERA/ FOR FLASHLIGHT PICTURES/ MADE IN CANADA BY/ CANADIAN KODAK CO., LIMITED/ TORONTO, ONTARIO/ TRADE MARKS REGISTERED"./ opposite side panel reads: "Brownie/ Reflex/ Synchro Model/ TAKES PICTURES/ THIS SIZE", [WITH ARROW POINTING TO B&W PHOTOGRAPH OF CHILD PLAYING WITH TELEPHONE}./ LOWER END PANEL READS: "Brownie/ REFLEX/ Synchro Model".

Missing

None

Finish

Black pebble-textured synthetic covering on camera body, grey top, bottom & front panels. CW yellow & black box

Decoration

N/A