| Author | 
                
                  Topic   | 
                  | 
              
              
                
               Jacques M. 
                France 
                2667 Posts | 
                
                  
                 | 
              
              
                
				  
			               Vladislav Kern                 Vlad 
                USA 
                4272 Posts My Collection
 
  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Nov 04 2019 :  08:01:00 AM
                        
                        
                        
                      
  | 
                     
                    
                       Thank you Jacques! yes most definitely the front plate is from the no-name 4a as the cut indicates. I believe I've seen this one for sale  . Decided to pass on it just for this reason.
  Best regards, Vlad | 
                     
                    
                        | 
                     
                   
                 | 
              
              
                
                               Jacques M. 
                France 
                2667 Posts | 
                
                  
                 | 
              
              
                
                               Jacques M. 
                France 
                2667 Posts | 
                
                  
                 | 
              
              
                
                               Jacques M. 
                France 
                2667 Posts | 
                
                  
                 | 
              
              
                
                               Jacques M. 
                France 
                2667 Posts | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Nov 04 2019 :  08:35:20 AM
                        
                        
                      
  | 
                     
                    
                        Thanks for your comment, Vlad. I must say that I much prefer cameras which put questions to their owners... It's the case for this one. By whom and when was it mounted? Impossible to say. There is no marking inside; specially the Kiev number engraved near the finder is absent. No Contax engraving, either. This camera is blind, if I except the blue signature.
  Perhaps an illegal mounting with spare parts in 1950? The no name front plate would have been added later, to fool a buyer?
  I would be happy about comments.
  Amitiés. Jacques. | 
                     
                    
                        | 
                     
                   
                 | 
              
              
                
				  
			               Vladislav Kern                 Vlad 
                USA 
                4272 Posts My Collection
 
  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Nov 04 2019 :  08:44:14 AM
                        
                        
                        
                      
  | 
                     
                    
                       Thank you Jacques! very interesting! It is indeed probably technician's signature on the inside! No name plate it's either to fool a buyer or as a repair but it had to be outside of USSR since these plates were exported. It was noticeable right away that the front cover was taken off because the leather was peeling off on the "bump"  in the corner. Number 1 sign of tampering with Kievs  .
  Сheers, Vlad | 
                     
                    
                        | 
                     
                   
                 | 
              
              
                
                               xya 
                France 
                164 Posts | 
                
                  
                 | 
              
              
                
				  
			               Guido Studer                 Guido 
                Switzerland 
                362 Posts My Collection
 
  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Nov 04 2019 :  1:56:56 PM
                        
                        
                        
                      
  | 
                     
                    
                        Hello Xya
  The second letter could be an "E" or an "O" and the next one a "B" but the "R" is missing. The last letter may be a "G" but for me it looks more like a "Z". Just my 2 cents.
  Best wishes - Guido
  | 
                     
                    
                        | 
                     
                   
                 | 
              
              
                
                               xya 
                France 
                164 Posts | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Nov 04 2019 :  3:14:31 PM
                        
                        
                      
  | 
                     
                    
                       it seems to be this handwriting quite common before and just after WWII in germany, a mixture between latin and german (Sütterlin) letters. yes, it could also be an "o", but it seems to me, that someone writing an "e" got stuck in the 3 lttle grooves and so lost the "r" in the grooves. he started with the "b" again. the end could be as well a "g" as a "z", you are right...
  www.a7camera.com www.120folder.com www.instantphoto.eu www.135compact.com www.oddcameras.com | 
                     
                    
                       Edited by - xya on Nov 04 2019  3:47:11 PM | 
                     
                    
                        | 
                     
                   
                 | 
              
              
                
                               Jacques M. 
                France 
                2667 Posts | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Nov 04 2019 :  4:29:11 PM
                        
                        
                      
  | 
                     
                    
                        Thanks, Reinhard and Guido for your efforts. The idea of "Verbesserung" is interesting... A pity we cannot be sure of the translation.
  I had forgotten the bayonet mount:
 
   http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent2/4112019_IMG_2297.JPG
  Number on the right lower corner + flat top on "3" on the distance scale = Dresden Contax style, once more, by Sasaki's book. Not completely exceptional for a 1950 Kiev II, but at least interesting.
  Amitiés. Jacques.
 
  | 
                     
                    
                        | 
                     
                   
                 | 
              
              
                
               Ulrich W.                 uwittehh 
                Germany 
                874 Posts My Collection
 
  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Nov 10 2019 :  11:58:50 AM
                        
                        
                        
                      
  | 
                     
                    
                       Jacques, I also own such a 1950 Kiev with a lot of Contax parts. On my front mask is the cyrillic and latin name engraved (not stamped). These cameras are rare, on ebay is or was also one for sale, the seller wants to have about 900 Euros. Altix and I inspected my 1950 Kiev. He told me that these cameras were made in 1947 and that it could be that they were used for assembly training in the Kiev factory. 3 years later they have been engraved with a serial number and were sold.
  Ulrich
  http://fotos.cconin.de | 
                     
                    
                       Edited by - uwittehh on Nov 10 2019  11:59:55 AM | 
                     
                    
                        | 
                     
                   
                 | 
              
              
                
				  
			               Vladislav Kern                 Vlad 
                USA 
                4272 Posts My Collection
 
  | 
                
                  
                    
                      
                       Posted - Nov 10 2019 :  12:02:28 PM
                        
                        
                        
                      
  | 
                     
                    
                       wow it looks like something in Russian to me that I could not read, didn't even think it was German!  . Ulrich, i also heard of a common practice in USSR of technicians to take parts home and then assemble a working camera for themselves... this may be this case..
  Best regards, Vlad | 
                     
                    
                        | 
                     
                   
                 | 
              
              
                |   | 
                
                  Topic   | 
                  |