Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2020.FIC.015 |
Object Name |
Camera |
Title |
Agfa B-2 Cadet Camera |
Description |
The camera is black and cube-shaped, with most of the body made of leather. The front features three glass circles: two smaller ones at the top and a larger one at the center. The center circle is significantly larger than the top ones. An embossed inscription on the bottom reads, "Agfa," surrounded by a diamond shape. On the back of the camera is a circular metal latch, attached to the top with three metal screws-one on top and two on the back. The right side of the camera near the top has a circular silver metal knob with an inscription that reads, "US B-2. AGFA FILM," with two arrows between the sections of the inscription. To the right of the knob is a rectangular piece of glass, and below it, a wavy-shaped black metal piece with an engraved inscription that reads, "TIME SHUTTER." Two silver-colored metal pieces extend from the black metal. The top of the camera has a diagonal leather handle with an embossed inscription that reads, "B-2 CADET." The handle is secured with silver screws on both ends. The lower right corner of the camera also has a rectangular piece of glass. Inside the camera, there is a label advertising Agfa Plenachrome film, made in the USA, as noted by Hollie Bishop. According to the Ansco Automatic Reflex blog and the Science Museum Group, the company that would become Agfa-Ansco was originally founded by Edward Anthony in 1842 under the name E. Anthony & Co., primarily as a daguerreotype gallery. In 1870, the company began producing cameras, and in 1902, it merged with Scoville & Adams to form Anthony & Scoville Co., later shortened to Ansco. That same year, the company moved operations to Binghamton, New York. To compete with the growing Kodak, Ansco merged with the German company Agfa in 1928 to become Agfa-Ansco. The rise of tensions between Germany and the U.S. leading up to World War II strained Agfa-Ansco's business. Despite attempts to prove loyalty, including the renunciation of German citizenship by the company president, the U.S. government took over the company in 1943, placing it under the control of the Office of Alien Property Custodian. The government also removed the "Agfa" from the company's name, renaming it simply "Ansco" to disassociate from Germany. During the war, Ansco contributed to the war effort by producing bomb fuses, sextants, rangefinders, film, cameras, and other military equipment. After the war, Ansco remained under government control for nearly 20 years due to fears that Soviet spies might exploit any secrets the company held. As a result, Ansco struggled financially, falling further behind Kodak. In 1967, the company was spun off as General Aniline & Film (GAF). In 1978, the trademark for creating Ansco cameras was acquired by a Hong Kong company, Haking, which continued to produce Ansco cameras until the early 1990s when Kodak took over the brand. Citations: Ansco. Science Museum Group. (n.d.). https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/cp98589/ansco A Brief History of Ansco. Ansco Automatic Reflex. (n.d.). https://anscoautomaticreflex.com/ansco-history/ |
Year Range from |
1928 |
Year Range to |
1943 |
Material |
Leather, Metal, Glass |
Artist |
Afga-Ansco |
Height (in) |
4.000 |
Length (in) |
5.000 |
Width (in) |
3.000 |
Condition |
Good |
Condition Notes |
Overall: Corrosion throughout Front: There is corrosion around the edges. Right Side: There is corrosion on the right and left sides. Back: There is corrosion around the edges. Left Side: There is corrosion around the glass. Top: There is corrosion on the right side, around the glass, and all over the screws. Also, the top is torn. Bottom: There is corrosion on the right and left sides. |
Inscription Type |
Manufacturer's Mark |
Inscription Location |
Front, Bottom, Middle |
Inscription Technique |
Embossed |
Inscription Text |
"Agfa" Line 1 Manufacturer's Mark Embossed Left Side. Top to Bottom, Center to Right "USE B-2" Line 1 "AGFA FILM" Line 2 "TIME" Line 3 "SHUTTER" Line 4 Manufacturer's Mark Embossed Front, Top to Bottom, Left to Right "B-2 CADET" |
People |
Edward Anthony |
Classification |
Domestic Life/Household Goods |
Subjects |
Cameras Metals Metalwork Glass Leather goods Leather industry |
Search Terms |
Camera Metal Glass 1928 1943 Germany American Binghamton New York Afga Ansco Leather Glass Metal Camera E. Anthony & Co Scoville & Adams 1842 Kodak General Aniline & Film GAF Hong Kong Office of Alien Property Custodian Black Grey Edward Anthony Agfa B-2 Cadet Camera |
Provenance |
Found in collection |