Engraving:
ФЭД НКВД - YССР Харьковский комбинат им. Ф.Э. Дзержинского
(FED NKVD-UkSSR Kharkov Combinat in the name of F.E. Dzerjinsky)
35 mm / coupled-rangefinder / Leica II copy
Lens : FED - 50 mm f.3.5
Factory : FED Labour Commune / Kharkov, USSR
It is the first model of FED-1 to have the "NKVD" engraving on the rangefinder housing as the F.E. Dzerjinskij Work Commune is now under the control of the "Ministry of the Interior". Many different versions of this type exist.
The first version of the FED-1'b' camera was made in spring of 1935. Characteristic features are: viewfinder frame is "notched"; lack of accessory shoe; square-shaped rangefinder cam (top interior of lens mount); circular plug on the back (to help adjustment of the measurement of the focal distance to film plane); eyepiece rings painted black. An example is camera #7377 owned by Bill Parkinson, shown in the images to the right.
Known serial numbers:
Serial Number / Lens Number / Owner-Seller / Remarks
## 1126 _____ 4665, 4,5/28mm ______ Jacques. ________ odd s/n.
## 4580 _____ 38131 ______________ Jacques. ________ odd s/n.
## 7122 _____ 844/122-662 _________ Jacques. ________ 3,5/50 1 turn.
## 7373 _____ 152812/161 __________ Jacques. ________ 3,5/50 1/2 turn.
## 7377 _____ 98158 ______________ Bill Parkinson
## 8528 _____ 8999 _______________ Jacques.
# 10020 _____ 10328 ______________ Jacques.
# 12840 _____ 6425 _______________ Jacques.
# 16270 _____ 16978 ______________ Jacques.
# 20251 _____ 1-16 _______________ Jacques.
# 21225 _____ 21577-41 ___________ Jacques.
# 23021 _____ ? __________________ seen on ebay
# 25617 _____ 27227 ______________ Jacques.
# 29299 _____ ? __________________ seen on ebay
# 34270 _____ 37625-110 ___________ Jacques.
# 35509 _____ ? __________________ seen on ebay
# 47042 _____ 69136 ______________ Jacques.
# 47994 _____ ? __________________ seen on ebay
# 51287 _____ 51xxx _______________ Jacques.
# 53713 _____ ? __________________ seen on ebay
# 54223 _____ 58982 ______________ Jacques.