Kiev 4 without logo on the clip

Hello,

Lately, I fell across a 1968 Kiev 4 without logo on the clip, just the serial number, like on the 4a "no names".
Here is a photo of the seller:


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent2/2522025_6kfpthiy.png

The (rare) visible cameras of this type date of 1968. A commemoration of the strikes in january 1918 at Arsenal's? Sovietcams shows too a case with "50 years to Soviet Ukraine" engraved on its plaque. See here, please: https://www.sovietcams.com/cameras/detail/420vjwc7gr6cwye2e4ppf3pw51

What do you think?

Amitiйs. Jacques.

Hi Jacques,
I have also such Kiev-4 s/n 6817037. Regarding the case with "50 years..." I have a doubt, that it has something to do with this camera. I would expect some plate on the camera, such as "70 years..." on Kiev-19. It was absolutely common thing in the Soviet Union to put some soviet badges on the leather cases of different devices.
May be I am wrong, but I have never seen any other information except this case (it was rather long time on ebay).
If anyone has any it is very appriciated .

Regards, Alexander

"1968 the Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact troops in an invasion of Czechoslovakia to crack down on reformist trends in Prague. Although the Soviet Union's action successfully halted the pace of reform in Czechoslovakia, it had unintended consequences for the unity of the communist bloc"

Maybe a silent protest leaving "Made in USSR" away? Remember that they also did a version where Kiev was written in Ukranian, not Russian.

Best regards,
Juhani

In fact, I initially bought two of these Kiev 4 in reply to the thread "Kiev no name 1983". The "creation" of a no name 1968 would have been a joke, with the other one as a witness...

Probably no question to do so now. If these cameras are related in any way to the 1917-1921 Urainian-Soviet War, they will remain as they are, of course.

So, I have found three of these cameras without logo on the clip:
- a Kiev 4a # 6806307 (sold),
- two Kiev 4 # 6816322 and 6816711 (both mine). I will post photos when they are here.
Alexander, your # 6817037 has such a clip too?

Thanks to you and Juhani. We hope for other information and serial numbers!

Amitiйs. Jacques.

Hahahaha Juhani, you're reaching with that Czechoslovakian theory . Honestly it's probably something stupid - a logo press broke or that particular assembly line didn't have one available.

Cheers,
Vlad

Actually I must ask my friends in Ukraine if 1968 was somehow special year!

Best regards,
Juhani

1968 was 50 year anniversary of short lived Ukranian People's Republic (UPR) (1918-1921)

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

1968 was 50 year anniversary of short lived Ukranian People's Republic (UPR) (1918-1921)

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It's why there is a question about these clips.

Well, I have got today the second camera from 1968. It is Kiev-4a and also without any logo or "made in..." on the clip.
Here are my cameras:







Regards, Alexander

Very interesting. Thanks, Alexander.
I have not yet received my own ones.
So, we have now at least five 1968 Kievs without engraving on the clip (except the serial number).
Of course, it would be interesting to know if there are such other cameras. And I look for 1968 Kievs with "normal" clips: that can be useful too.

Amitiйs. Jacques.

My suspicion is it's an export version. Often Сделано в СССР is eliminated, as it's not applicable in Cyrillic. And made Made in USSR stamp wasn't available at the time..

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

My suspicion is it's an export version. Often Сделано в СССР is eliminated, as it's not applicable in Cyrillic. And made Made in USSR stamp wasn't available at the time..

---

I can agree with Vlad, but why only 1968? The last "no-name" export was made for USA in 1963/64. Export for Europe was hardly possible because of Contax copyrights.

Regards, Alexander

Maybe to East Germany or Soviet block were that copyright wasn't respected?

quote:

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Originally posted by Jacques M.


... And I look for 1968 Kievs with "normal" clips: that can be useful too.

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I have no Kiev Kameras from 1968 with "normal" clips, only these two. .

Regards, Alexander

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

Maybe to East Germany or Soviet block were that copyright wasn't respected?

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Finland was part of Europe and not Soviet block...

Best regards,
Juhani

But no one knows how it got there, maybe from DDR:)

Perhaps we fetch too far...
The "40 years Ukraine" exists: it's the IIIa with an Ukrainian logo. It is confirmed by a very rare special box shown by Ulrich: https://ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?ContentID=560&ParentID=1&WikiCatID=20

So, why not a "special 50 years" ten years later?

Amitiйs. Jacques.

quote:

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Originally posted by Vlad

But no one knows how it got there, maybe from DDR:)

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From DDR we got Praktica and AKA (toasters, hairdryers etc).

And I did find "proof": our "Kamera"-magazine used to publish a camera catalogue every year back then. And yes, it does list Kiev at least 1981! But poor success in sales, it cost about same as Zenit TTL. Importer is SU-owned "Koneisto" (means Machinery), which imported almost everything except cars from SU.


http://www.ussrphoto.com/UserContent2/632025_IMG_20250306_174613.jpg

Also found UK-catalogue by Amateur Photographer from 1978 and even that had Kiev-RF's, importer TOE as expected

Best regards,
Juhani

quote:

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Originally posted by Jacques M.


Perhaps we fetch too far...
The "40 years Ukraine" exists: it's the IIIa with an Ukrainian logo. It is confirmed by a very rare special box shown by Ulrich: https://ussrphoto.com/Wiki/default.asp?ContentID=560&ParentID=1&WikiCatID=20

So, why not a "special 50 years" ten years later?

Amitiйs. Jacques.

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A small clarification: KIEV is written in Ukranian in that special version, not in Russian. They are not same languages, although not far from each other. Look at two dots above the "i" instead of Russian "e". And a very annoying thing for SU-Russians to openly show nationality back then!
Mine has no box, only camera & lens.

Best regards,
Juhani

I also found a 1968 Kiev 4 in my collection (or the remains of it ...), but it has a normal engraving in the accessory shoe.

Yes, the box for the KIIV III is really rare. 6 to 10 years ago a box went for about 300 euros on eBay. Last year, a KIIV III with box was auctioned off for 9000 euros. I asked the auction house because I have a KIIV III left, they replied that they would expect about 2000 for the camera, the box would be more valuable. I was quite surprised :-)

Remember: Increase my household contents insurance :-)

Ulrich

http://fotos.cconin.de

Thanks Juhani.
I know well that Kiev is written in Ukrainian on the 1958 version: I own two of them... On the 1968 one, there is no mention of Ukraine anywhere. Just the absence of "Сделано в СССР" on the clip. Is it enough to mean something?

As for the 1968 Kievs with a "normal" clip, I have found only two numbers: 6804708 and 6836078, both for Kiev 4. For the moment, these two ones "border" our small series.

Amitiйs. Jacques.