Vintage Kandor Deluxe Candid Camera 1940s. Original family owner. Shutter works. Looks to be in very good condition. Includes bottom half of original box (fair condition).
The Kandor Deluxe Candid camera was manufactured by the Irwin Corporation in circa 1939. The camera resembled a horizontal "sardine can" made of metal with a metal stripe finished face plate. It was fitted with a fixed focus Mencius lens and a simple rotary time and instantaneous shutter. The camera was capable of capturing 3 x 4 cm exposures on standard no. 127 roll film.
Key Features of the Kandor Deluxe:
- Design: Resembles a flat, oblong sardine tin with a brushed metal faceplate, sometimes featuring riveted, tapered ends.
- Apertures: The "Deluxe" model was distinguished by offering a choice of 4 apertures.
- Format: Uses 127 film, a popular format at the time that is now considered rare, producing 3 x 4 cm exposures.
- Manufacturer: Produced by the New York-based Irwin Corporation, which also made similar "sardine can" models like the Lark, Komet, and Kandor Junior.
- Market: Originally sold cheaply $4.95 for the deluxe version in 1940—often in drug or dime stores.
These cameras are considered early, simplistic "candid" cameras, designed for capturing unposed, spontaneous scenes.