FED NKVD 1c or 1d ?!?!

Hey all,

I've finally bought myself a FED NKVD but! According to Aidas's site the 1c serial #s of 1c are 55.000 to # 130.000, mine's 115,something so that's right. The rounding of top plate does suggest 1c, but mine says CCCP not YCCP... huh? According to Princelle 1d with CCCP starts at 125,000...Once again what the heck do I have here?





Thanks,

Vlad.

Vlad,

You have a 1939 FED. The type is actually a FED-1d, at least as far as the engraving goes. As far as some features, such as the 1/2 covered screw near the lens mount, it would be classified as a 1c. So, it might be accurate to say that you have a FED-1c / 1d transitional model.

The of the different changes that make the FED-1 models different did not occur at the same time and so there are always transitional models between the main categories.

To quote Albino Pegorari's fine booklet about the FED-1:
"In the second half of 1939, Ukraine loses its partial independence and becomes a full member of the Soviet Union. The logo on the cameras is therefore modified accordingly and the second part of the logo now reads CCCP. The legal setup of the factory also changes and from a Commune it becomes an association (KOMBINAT) and this is also present in the new logo."

According to Princelle, FED # 100,000 was made in June 1939. Your camera was probably made around November. Your camera is authentic and untouched as far as I can see.

Albino Pegorari's booklet also has different serial number ranges for the different models and they may be a bit more accurate than Princelle because they were arrived at by careful examination of hundreds of examples of FEDs!



Regards, Bill

Oh wow!! Thanks!!! So would you consider this camera a rare one? Or transitional cameras are valued as much as regular models?

Vlad

Well, in some ways it is rare because it has a combination of characteristics that are not found in many FED-1 cameras, however I don't know of anybody who is currently looking for this kind of rarity and so the value may not be more than a normal FED-1c or FED-1d.

I think it would have a bit of extra value to someone who is putting together a complete collection of FED-1 cameras as a historic evolution.






Regards, Bill

Besides the small booklets, There is the Albino Pegorari / Claudio Asquini book that can be seen at http://www.novacon.com.br/books1.htm
It is slightly more expanded and cover studies in several Soviet camera models . Very interesting and accurate.

Hello,
I was looking for something about Feikas before posting a new topic...
About 1c/1d, I think there is a mistake in Princelle's book.
The limit seems to be between 92xxx-95xxx (not 130000) and within those limits for transitional bodies.

There are three differences:
-CCCP engraving on the 1d (YCCP on the 1c),
-top front center screw near the lens rim (half hidden on the 1c),
-no screw visible under the rewind knob (three visible on the 1c).

Pegorari's booklets and Fricke's works are more precise than Princelle's book. But the latter covers the entire range of FSU cameras!

So Vlad, I think you have a plain true genuine 1d!

Amitiйs. Jacques.