Zeiss Ikon Nettar - User Report

[DigiChromeEd]

Article from a 1992 edition of Amateur Photographer magazine

[Olivier]

Thank you Edgar for sharing.

I have a Zeiss Ikon Nettar 517/16 in 6x6 format with lens Novar lens anastigmat 6.3/75mm. It was made in Stuttgart between 1951-53.
and a Zeiss Ikon Nettar 515/2U in 6x9 format with lens Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 4.5/105 made in 1937.

[Sciolist]

[Olivier]

Hello Sciolist.

Mine also has MADE IN GERMANY embossed on the back covering, and left of the red window ZEISS IKON, right of the red window STUTTGART.

It comes from England, its range is in feet and it has a "square top".
Its serial number is D 06817.

[Sciolist]

Hi Olivier,

Mine has the exact same wording on the door and in the same places. The serial number is X 38953. The range is in feet and the camera has the square top, so I take it, according to CJs camera website, that I do in fact have a later version.

www.cjs-classic-cameras.co.uk/zeiss/zeiss.html

I found something on the internet about markings that appears informed, although I cannot confirm if it is accurate. It may be that I've not looked hard enough, but Wiki was not that forthcoming.

From a poster on the e-bay community, speaking in general terms, not about Zeiss Ikon -

"As a collector of classic cameras i've encountered this problem quite often and found it not quite simple!

Before WWII (1945) it was always "Made in Germany" or simply "Germany".

From 1945 to 1949, before the "Federal Republic of Germany" was established, mostly no identification was used, but occasionally, merely depending on the availability of components, also "Made in Germany" is found.


Identifications such as "Made in Germany - US-Zone" were normally confined to high technical products, e.g. quality-lenses also for military uses, on which sales or export restrictions were applied.


From 1949 (until today) "Made in Germay" was used again, but from ca. 1952/55 "Made in Western-Germany" or "Made in West-Germany" was preferred to distinguish from GDR (East-Germany). But this was not compulsory and rather used at whim.


"West-Germany" became obsolete in 1990. But these days "Made in Germany" is commonly replaced by "Made in EU""

[Olivier]

Sciolist,

Here is a 517/16 "curved top" :
http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/page_standard_eng.php?id_appareil=2209

and here is a "square top" :
http://www.collection-appareils.fr/x/html/page_standard_eng.php?id_appareil=816

and a trial made for a chronology of the brand cameras :
http://www.collection-appareils.fr/Timeline/frise.php?Marque=Zeiss Ikon

[Sciolist]

Thanks very much for providing the comparison Olivier. As you might tell from the editing of my post above yours, I went and had a look for a comparison, and updated my post before realising you had replied. Apologies.

I must admit, the curved top version is quite lovely.