1lteTltotographic Historical SocietYoj Canada .. • Volume 13, Number 2 September - October 1987 The Story of E. Leitz Canada Ltd. PHOTOGRAPHICCANADIANA ISSN 0704·0024 News and Views ~.~--~~3$~~~~--.'- from the President Volume 13, Number 2 September-October 19&7 (Date of Issue - March 1988) During the the brief period in which I have received mail Second Class Mail Registration No. 7212 addressed to the President, It has become clearly evident to me how POSTAGE PAID AT TORONTO much interest there is across the country, not onl y in antique The Photographic Historical Society of Canada eq uipment, but also in im ages and processes. Whether someone in Nova Scotia is enquiring about the va lue of an old camera found in BOARD OF DIRECTORS late Aunt Tilly's dresser drawer, or a British Columbian is requesting our help in obtaining spare parts for a Universal Mercury I, there President . .. Donald Douglas always seems to be an underl ying expression of interest in our Past President. .. Lauro Boccioletti acti vities. We have obtai ned several new members as a result of our 1st Vice President ..... .... ... .. ....... .. Mark Singer corresponding with people looking for information. We all know 2nd Vice President .. .. .. ...... Everett Roseborough there is increasing interest in all areas of history, and we are certainly Secretary . ..... ......... ...... ... .. Sharon Ryan getting our share. Treasurer ......... ...... •. ....... ......... Douglas Dann Regional Director ... .. ... ... • ... • ...... Stanley White Recent activities of you r Society, which seem to have centred in Curator . .. William Belier the Southern Ontario area, have been numerous. Willy and Maureen Membership Secretary ........ .. ..... ..... Robert Wilson Patz participated in a histori cal display in Burlington, and Jack Addison gave a couple of tal ks to local clubs. Our Fall Fair, under the Photographic Canadiana is published bi-monthly (except July· able leadership of Larry Boccioletti , was wildly successful , havi ng the August) by The Photographic Historical Society of Canada, P.O. greatest number of tables ever. Upcoming is a presentation to a local Box 115, Postal Station " S", Toronto, Ontario M5M 4L6. camera club on the joys of coll ectin g, to be given by Bob Cart er and Photographic Canadiana does not pay for articles or photo­ myself. We have been asked to appear in a one-day display at graphs; all functions of P.H.S.O.C. are based on voluntary par­ Harbourfront in March, and we expect to take part in Photo Life '88 in ticipation. Manuscripts or articles should be sent to the editor the Spring. While these ac ti vi ti es spread our human resources pretty and will be returned if requested. thin, we are glad to participate. Views expressed in this publication solely renect the opinions of the authors, and do not necessarily renect the views of Everyo ne receiving the Journal is aware of delays experi enced in P.H.S.O.C. getting it into your hands, and the reasons fo r those delays. While the preparation is a time-consuming job and all our acti vi ti es are on an Back issues and single copies: Order directly from the unpaid , vol unteer basis, we are, in fac t, beefing up our resources to Librarian, whose name and address appear below. ensure that this publication, which is regarded as among of the best in the wo rld, goes out to you on a reg ul ar basis. We have no intention of Single copies are $4.00. Subscription is included in membership compromi sing on quality. fees which are $20.00 a year. Back issues of Vols. 1 & 11 are available at $2.00 per copy, Vols III to VIII (inclusive) at $3.00 per copy. All other back issues are $4 .00 per copy. Our Society is in good shape, in terms of both finances and membership, and I will report further on this in our next issue. Librarian . Gerald Laban 64 Fonthill Blvd., Unionville, Ont. L4R 1V7 Editor ......... .. .. ... .. .. Douglas Gilbertson Donald Douglas 22 Moon Valley Drive, Rexdale, Ont. M9W 3N7· In This Issue The 1988 Annual General Meeting Features: Ernst Leitz Canada Ltd: A Story of Courage and Vision The PHSOC Annual General Meeting will be held in the Gold Room by 1. David Carvelh . .............. 2 at the North York Memorial Community Centre. o n Wednesday. Hill & Adamson: Pioneer Scottish Photographers April 20, 1988. You will be receiving a notice in the mai l shortl y. by Robert Lansdale ................. 9 Report on the International Stereoscopic Union Sixth Congress, Interlaken by SIan While 14 Columns: News and Views .-rom the President by Donald Douglas .. ' ............... I Cover Photo: The Editor's Notebook by Douglas Gilbertson .... ... .... 13 The Leica M4·2 is considered to be th e first truly Canadian Leica. Minor The Bookshelf by Robert G. Wilson vari ations in engra vin gs are known to exist and although most M4 -2's are of Reviewed: Beyond the Third Dimension .................. IS Midland ori gin. a cert ain number were produced in Wetzl. r. The M4·2 Toronto Notes by Mark Singer . 16 depi cted here carried both the Wetzlar and Canadian identity on the top pia Ie. Advertisements, Coming Events ............. 17 The camera is from th e collecti on of Bill Belier. (photography by Everett Rosebrough) Printtd'in CufUU!a &y 5cfuytTs' GmplUcs Inc. 1 ScarOOrW9(l, Ontario. Ernst Leitz Canada Limited. A Story of Courage and Vision by 1. David Carveth In his "Editor's Note Book" column in Volume 12 Number 2, then Editor Bill Belier mentioned his visit to Midland with David Carveth, who was researching for the article you are about to read. I think you'll agree it was well worth waiting for. About 80 kilometres (50 miles) north-west of the cit y of Frank furt, West Germany, lies Wetzlar, the ori gin al home of the Leitz Micro­ scope and the world famous Leica Camera. This beautiful city is nestl ed on the banks of the Lahn Ri ver, which flows quietl y among the undulating hills and vales of Hessia. The ori ginal settlement on this site dates back to pre-historic times. During the Roman conquest of Gaull ia, a cobbled road was built along the ri ver bank to a ll ow passage of cha ri ots and foot­ soldiers. Parts of thi s road remai n to th is day, as well as the remains of two watch-towers. Wetzlar was declared an " Imperi al" town by Emperor Friedri ch I (Friedrich Barbarossa) in the earl y twelfth The first Lei[z personnel en rou[e [0 Midland. on boa rd SS Col um bia 0 11 century and it retained thi s statu s from the time o f the Holy Roman May 15. 1952. Empire. The citi zens of Wetzlar were responsible for the first phase o f the along wi th their technical advisers, began di scussions based upon the construction of the Dam (Cathedral) which towers over a confusion of new market trends. blue-black slate roofs. The Dam is a photographer's paradise, Po litical conditions in Europe were ex tremely unstabl e, to the representing fo ur distinct styles of architecture as a result of additions ex tent that many feared a Third World War, so they decided to made to it over the centuries. establish a factory outside the potential fie ld of danger. This thriving metropolis is ideall y situated on the mai n trade Ma ny countries were considered in their urgent di scussions. routes a nd at one time ri va ll ed Frankfurt, both in commerce and in Ireland was given some thought but it was not far enough away. South ize. This encouraged the establishment and deve lopment of heavy Ameri ca was too un stable politi call y and was. therefore, discarded industry, such as the worl d famous Buderus Steel Work s, which draws immedi ately. North America seemed to be the logical choice, but its iron ore from the local mines. where? The United States was a problem because E. Leitz Inc. in New The precision instrument and optical industries, whi ch today enj oy York held the U.S. patents for all Leitz products, as well as the trade a world-wide reputation for excell ence, were establi shed in this ma rk s. That compa ny had been taken over during the war by the region. The chief representative of thi s industry, later to become the C ustodian of Alien Properti es, a department o f the United States renowned Ernst Le it z GmbH. was founded in 1849 by Mr. Karl Government, a nd had not yet been released. If the parent company Kellner a nd was subsequentl y taken over by Mr. Ernst Leitz. At the establi shed a factory in the United St ates. a ll its trade marks would time, Mr. Leitz was a yo un g a pprentice to the master mechanic Mr. have to be changed. Also, there were already many optical companies Oesch Ie. This great establishment, which today employs as many as in the U.S. Since the wa r had only been ended a short time, it was felt 4,000 peopl e at the Wetzlar location alone, designs and manufactures the Am eri cans would not readily accept a former antagonist in their some of the world's most sophisti cated optical and mechanical midst who mi ght possibl y jeopardize their own optical industry. instrument s. Canada, however, had no major opti cal industry a nd its govern­ The now famous Leica ("Lei" for Leitz and "ca" for camera). ment was encouraging immigrati on, particula rl y by those intending to designed and ma nufactured by Oscar Barna k in 1913, is well establ ish businesses wh ich could employ its citizenry.