TSVVS (TCBBC in Cyrillic) stands for
Topographicheskaya Sluzhba Voyenno-Vozdushnih Sil
(Topographic Service of the Air Force)
One of the most enigmatic soviet cameras. There is a plate with text: "To colonel Maksimov L.K. for a long and blameless service in parts of VTS S.A., from the VTS Chief on December 9th 1957". This gives some basis to the unexpected assumption that it is necessary to read the name of the camera on the circle, as it was actually a normal practice in Russia, and it should sound - not TSVVS from Topographical Service of Air Force but VTS-VS.
VTS-VS
Voyenno-Topografitscheskaya Sluzhba Vooruzhennyh Sil
(Militar Topographical Service of Defence Forces)
These were possibly special cameras that were manufactured by Soviet goverment for high ranking people in the military or the KPSS (Communist Party). Possibly given as gifts for excellence in service to the Soviet Union. Maybe given to generals and ministers, but very selectively according to historical records.
Type: 35mm / Leica-Contax copy
Lens: Carl Zeiss Jena Sonnar 50mm f2
Factory: uncertain (possibly ALMAZ ~ Yuri Davidenko Theory ~ DVD Tech), Moscow, USSR
Production: less than 1000 units total in 1949 & 1950
Pictured camera:
Body serial: #577
Lens serial: #3090237
Year: 1950
more photos at: nightphoto.com
(CZJ = Carl Zeiss Jena)
(M-info = List of cameras from Dr. Milos Mladek)
#body _ year _ #lens/type ___ owner/source _ authenticity _ #baseplate/#shutterbox
no# ___ ? ____ 3060338 CZJ 2.0 __ DVD ________________ YES
no# ___ ? ____ 5403601 Jup-8 ____ Princelle _____________ YES
no# ___ ? ____ 3101418 CZJ 3.5 __ SH_Photo _____________ ?
no# ___ ? ____ 3066143 CZJ 3.5 __ Alexander K.
1 ____ 1949 __ 3060168 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay sovdepia ___ serial doubtful, camera is real
6 ____ 1949 __ ? / ? ____________ Photohistory/Abramov
7 ____ 1949 __ 3060235 CZJ 2.0 __ eBay _______________ Fed shutter box
7 ____ 1949 __ ? / ? ____________ Princelle / M-info __
7 ____ 1949 __ 3089557 CZJ 2.0 __ Ebay / foto_hobby
22 ___ 1949 __ ? / ? ____________ Princelle-info
27 ___ 1948 __ ? / ? ____________ Princelle-info _________ YES ?
33 ___ 1949 __ ? / ? ____________ M-info __
41 ___ 1949 __ 2269946 CZJ 1.5 __ Princelle _____________ YES
51 ___ 1949 __ 3060211 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay ____________________________ 51/
71 ___ 1949 __ ? / ? ____________ M-info __
88 ___ 1949 __ 3060333 CZJ 2.0 __ Private ______________ YES
153 __ 1949 __ 226xxxx CZJ 1.5 __ JPG _________________ YES
155 __ 1949 __ 5909407 Jup-8M __ Westlicht #8 / M.Mladek _____ FAKE
171 __________________________ Westlicht auction#20 lot#377
177 __ 1949 __ 3050587 CZJ 2.0 __ eBay
184 __ 1949 __ 3094933 CZJ 2.0 __ Private ______________ YES
194 __ 1949 __ ? / ? ____________ Photohistory/Abramov
200 __ 1949 __ 2269238 CZJ 1.5 __ W.Parkinson _________ YES
214 __ 1949 __ 2727413 CZJ 1,5 __ eBay 11/2013
245 __ 1949 __ 3090072 CZJ 2.0 __ WestLicht Auction _____ YES
261 __ 1949 __ 3060279 CZJ 2.0 __ Westlicht auction#29 lot#258
264 __ 1949 __ 3089522 CZJ 2.0 ______________________ YES _________ 64/64
266 __ 1949 __ ? / ? ____________ tiscali.co.uk _________ YES
271 __ 1949 __ 3009139 CZJ 2.0 __ C.Asquini ___________ YES
280 __ 1949 __ 3050898 CZJ 2.0 __ M.Mladek ___________ YES
292 __ 1949 __ 3059649 CZJ 2.0 __ Alexander K. ________ YES
303 __ 1949 __ 3089341 CZJ 1.5 __ net
308 __ 1949 __ 3050909 CZJ 2.0 __ KING-2 (website)
311 __ 1949 __ 3095126 CZJ 2.0 __ Alexey Nikitin ________ YES
330 __ 1950 __ 3060329 CZJ 2.0 __ EBAY Jan 2010 _______ YES
333 __ 1950 __ 3006850 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay march 2017 _____ FAKE
366 __ 1950 __ 3092474 CZJ 2.0 __ Private _____________ YES
372 __ 1950 __ 3059505 CZJ 2.0 __ Ebay-Arsenal ________ YES
392 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ M-info __
398 __ 1950 __ 3059690 CZJ 2.0 __ Juhani Finland ________ YES _______ 81/81
401 __ 1950 __ 2687662 CZJ 2.0 __ eBay ___________________________ 84/?
422 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ M-info __
428 __ 1950 __ 3049894 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay ___________________________ ? /11
440 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ M-info __
441 __ 1950 __ 3092387 CZJ 2.0 __ Sovietcams.com ______ YES
442 __ 1950 __ 5509465 Jup-8 ____ Arfact Auction _______ YES
454 __ 1950 __ 1866643 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay ____________________________ 37/37
465 __ 1950 __ 3059777 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay Mar 2020 Lithuania
466 ___________________________Westlicht auction#16 lot#318
467 __ 1950 __ 3059591 CZJ 2.0 __ Jacques M. _________ YES _________ 50/50
469 __ 1950 __ 3096197 CZJ 2.0 __ eBay Jan 2013 _______ YES _________ 20/20
471 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ M-info __
488 __ 1950 __ 3059778 CZJ 2.0 __ Princelle/Milos Mladek __ YES
488 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ M-info __
493 __ 1950 __ 3092384 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay june 2020. ___________________ 59/
503 __ 1950 __ 3090471 CZJ 2.0 ______________________ YES _________ 89/89
504 __ 1950 __ 3060679 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay may 2020.
514 __ 1950 __ 3050719 CZJ 2.0 __ Private _____________ YES
517 __ 1950 __ 3093560 CZJ 2.0 __ Westlicht #7 _________ YES
544 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ M-info __
552 __ 1950 __ 3090384 CZJ 2.0 __ Igor N.Rykov ________ YES
575 __ 1950 __ 3009075 CZJ 2.0 __ eBay jan 2013 _______ YES
577 __ 1950 __ 3090237 CZJ 2.0 __ W.Parkinson _________ YES
607 __ 1950 __ 3059688 CZJ 2.0 __ Private ______________ YES
629 __ 1950 __ 3060385 CZJ 2.0 __ Westlicht # 13 _______ YES
632 __ 1950 __ 3092490 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay Jan 2015 _______ YES
633 __ 1950 __ 3090163 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay 2016 __________ YES
638 __ 1950 __ 3059899 CZJ 2.0 __ Ebay-moscowphoto ________ FAKE
650 __ 1950 __ 3093650 CZJ 2.0 __ ______ YES___________ 2/36
665 __ 1950 __ 3006819 CZJ 2.0 __ Private ______________ YES
687 __ 1950 __ 3089508 CZJ 2.0 __ Westlicht auction#29 lot#259
699 __ 1950 __ 3094394 CZJ 2.0 __ U.Witte _____________ YES
700 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ A.Bronstein __________ YES
705 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ Princelle _____________ YES
707 __________________________ Westlicht auction#20
709 __ 1950 __ 3090875 CZJ 2.0 __ C.Asquini ____________ YES
714 __ 1950 __ 3059762 CZJ 2.0 __ Alexander K. _________ YES
724 __ 1950 __ 3049866 CZJ 2.0 __ ebay _____________________________ 10/?
733 __ 1950 __ 3060196 CZJ 2.0 __ Private ______________ YES
747 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ M.Mladek __
756 __ 1950___3095256 CZJ 2.0 __ A.Nikitin
781 __ 1950 __ 3059927 CZJ 2.0 __ A.Berry _____________ YES
785 __ 1950 __ 3095141 CZJ 2.0 __ Private ______________ YES
790 __ 1950 __ 3051259 CZJ 2.0 __ Private ______________ YES
792 __ 1950 __ 3094435 CZJ 2.0 __ Asahi-net ____________ YES
804 __ 1950 __ 3060175 CZJ 2.0 __ Ebay Italy ____________ YES
816 __ 1950 __ 2019243 CZJ 2.0 __ Ebay
901 __ 1950 __ ? / ? ____________ Princelle info __
From this list it can be seen that all the Sonnar 50/1,5 are from an early 1938 prewar uncoated batch and are on the earlier cameras, and that all the f/2 lenses are coated and from postwar Jena production batches on later cameras. The 50/1,5 lenses seem not to be leftovers found after the war (coated lenses would have been available at that time).
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