THE "BEAUTY SIX"

This Japanese 6x6 cm "folder" dates from 1950 and, according to an article on the
Camera-Wiki.org,  it is one of only 2 surviving examples known to exist in the world!  It is,
to my knowledge, the only example complete with the original, leather, ever-ready case
and original factory box.  Both are in fine condition.

It is the predecessor of the FRANK SIX and you can see the relevant Camera-Wiki.org article, here.

Though I'm unsure if ownership of such a beast will ever bring me fame or fortune,
it is certainly interesting!
 


 

Surprisingly, the shutter still appears to work smoothly and accurately (except for 'Bulb' - which
seems to be equivalent to 1/25th of a second), as does the self-timer, which runs without hesitation
and releases the shutter smoothly, as it should.
The bellows, amazingly enough, seems to still be light tight, and without any cracks.  I find this
most unusual for a camera now 65+ years old!  Sadly, the original sync connector is
missing. I do not know if it was simply knocked off, over the years, or if I had
a problem putting it back on, when I disassembled the camera
in the late 1950's, at the tender age of 10 or 12!
The Beauty Six bears many similarities to the Frank Six, which came later.  This, presumably late,
example of the Beauty Six, bears the FRANK name on the shutter, although it seems
that the later FRANK SIX camera did not have this marking! 



The back is fully removable.  A rotating "button" on the middle bottom is the lock.
The back (with pressure plate) then slides off, in the same manner as the
early Nikon F, or Leica CL cameras.


If you found this, or any of my reviews, helpful, please consider supporting this effort by purchasing my e-book, "A Brief History of Photography", It is, by far, the most complete, up-to-date, history of photography, anywhere and should be required reading for every photographer.

"A Brief History of Photography" is just what it says it is. Fast paced and easy to read, yet it covers the history from 1614 right through to early 2020.  Spanning the equivalent of 450 printed pages, it covers not only the chemistry, but the seminal cameras, films, sensors, lenses and accessories of their day; along with their companies and their inventors.

It includes hundeds of "trivia" entries - which offer little-known background stories on both the inventors & their inventions. Profusely illustrated.

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Click on the e-book cover, for more information.


If you've found this review helpful, you might enjoy some of my other reviews, found here.  You might also enjoy my wildlife photos, all taken with Leica or Olympus glass.

If interested, you can also find my antique Debrie Sept at Camer-Wiki.org.

 Thanks for reading.
Last updated: 26 November, 2018