Another Pioneer No-Name

Hi,

let me show you another sample of Voomp Pioneer "No-Name" camera (1st cameras was shown by our friend Alain at Bievres 2008). Beeing at Bievres 2009, I was talking to russian seller Alexander from Germany ([:)][:)][:)]), who sold his sample last year. He was an absolutely sure, what he have sold "FAG" camera, and not a Pioneer ... [:D][:D][:D]

My camera came to me without lens (the lens on the picture is "borrowed" from my another Pioneer). Seems to be a 2nd version (???). Any comments?

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/3062009_pioneer_1.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/3062009_pioneer_1.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/3062009_pioneer_2.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/3062009_pioneer_2.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/3062009_pioneer_3.JPG

http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent/3062009_pioneer_3.JPG

Thanks,
Aidas

Hi Aidas,

Looks good and very authentic. Why no writing (engravings), I'm not sure, but it is a VOOMP, not FAG. This model may be something between VOOMP II and VOOMP-GOI (3rd model VOOMP), just a guess, because the diagonal lines on the shutter speed dial point upward to the right, while the earlier models are to the left, however it does have the diangonal lines on the rewind and advance knobs, where the VOOMP-GOI has straight vertical lines on those knobs.

Easy to tell FAG because the viewfinder window looks like a sort of diamond-shaped plate screwed onto the front.

Very nice Aidas ... congratulations!



Regards, Bill

Thanks, Bill!

Your opinion is very appreciated!

Best Regards,
Aidas

Congratulations Aidas on this very rare acquisition.
Bill is absolutely right! The camera is a VOOMP Pioner.
They used to do several cameras without engravings
Engravings were (and are) costing and delayed production.
Regards
LP

Aidas,
In the case of your example, I suspect that it is a transitional camera and that the engraving may not be present because it was possibly being made during the transition in engraving content between the 1936 model which reads "VOOMP" and the 1937 model which reads "GOI VOOMP". This idea fits with the style of the camera which looks to be transitional between 1936 and 1937, for the reasons I have mentioned in an earlier post, as well as the late (1937) characteristics of black-painted top plate but chrome rangefinder housing (although it may be that the different combinations of black and chrome were used in different models ... for example, mine is from 1934 ... N0. 159 ... and has chrome top-plate and rangefinder housing).

Other explanations can be that it was to be given to "offical" use such as military, etc. and so it was not needed to be numbered and identified, or was kept by someone at the factory and so was taken out of the offical production.

Only one other idea, which you may be able to determine by close inspection, is that any engraving on the top was ground or buffed off. I only say this because in your photos it looks like the chrome finish was buffed away from the top area. Usually when this is the case, the edges of the top look rather sharper than other edges. I know that my example and several other VOOMP cameras that I have seen had very light and shallow engraving ... not like the deep engraving on even the earliest FEDs.

It is a beauty!

Regards, Bill

Adias, Many thanks for sharing with us this very rare camera.[:D]