Subject: Revised serial number table
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 1998 22:12:48 -0700
From: "Phillip Sterritt"
The attached is a revised version of a table taken mostly from Modern Photography Buyer's Guide issues. There is now info
from both the Dec
1955 and Dec 1956 issues, as well as from what appears to be the 'Photo Dealer Camera Identification Guide' dating (I'm guessing)
from around
1955, and a list published by someone named Ben Miller (I just have a marginally legible photocopy of page 51 of something,
with Ben Miller's
name on it).
We know that the ranges listed for the Argoflexes are inaccurate or incomplete, there are instances of C3s with serial numbers
outside the stated
ranges, and the noted discrepancy in the start of the range for the model 21, so don't bet the mortgage on any of this.
Phil Sterritt
---<< Attached Table Follows >>---
Argus serial number ranges per 'Modern Photography' December 1955 and
1956 Camera Buying Guide section 'Photo Dealer Camera Identification
Guide' ca. 1955, and Ben Miller
model start end
----- ----- ---
A: 1037 211589
AA: 500000 513250 (8)
AF: 5000 70138
A2B: 66215 248601
A2F: 22760 39031
FA: (1)
B: (2)
A3: 100000 140980
CC: (3)
K: 1001 2928
C: 1000 19077
C2: 19077 91945
C3: 0310001 03690326 (prewar)
10699 Dec 1955:'above 800000 (current)' (6)
Dec 1956:'above 1500000'
Ben Miller: 'above 1736925' (9)
21: (5) 64785
C4: 230000 Dec 1955:'above 285000'
Dec 1956:'above 500000' (7)
C44: 0044000001 0044006000 (Dec 1956 issue)
0044085000 (9)
C33: 151900101 ? (9)
C3 Autronic: 2220100001 ? (9)
A-four: (1)
C20: 20000000 20003345 and
1401nnnnnn 1401nnnnnn (illegible range) (9)
Argoflex:
-E 750501 896721
-EM 10439 13591
-EF 2506 30520
-40 (4)
19: (10)
----------------------------------------------------------------
(1) none -- bears stamped date of manufacture
(2) 'same range as Mod. A'
(3) same numbers as A3 shown, says 'in common with A3 serial numbers'
(4) None. Bears stamped date of manufacture (1st 2 digits - year,
last 2 digits - month)
(5) Dec 1955 guide, Photo Dealer say range starts 19218;
Dec 1956, Ben Miller say 9218
(6) Dec 1956 guide has note about flash synch that refers to models
'...[built] After Jan., 1954 (serial numbers above 964,482)...'
(7) Dec 1956 guide has note about flash synch that refers to models
'...[built] After June, 1954 (serial numbers above 321,000)...'
(8) From 'Photo Dealer Camera Identification Guide' ca.1955 pg. 340
(9) From a realistic looking list by Ben Miller (?)
(10) '19' plus 6 digits
----------------------------------------------------------------
Notes:
1. I have a prewar C3, the serial number of which is C322150
There are also prewar C3s with the 'zero-prefix' serial numbers as
referenced in the list..
2. In the 'special notes' section on the Model A, it states that
'Plastic camera body came in black (AB), tan (AT), and gray (AG)'
3. In the 'special notes' section on the Model A2B, it states that
'A2B cameras made after July 1946 came with coated lenses.'
4. In the 'Lens' section on the Model C3, it states that
'C3 cameras made after July 1946 came with coated Cintar lenses.'
5. In the 'special features' section on the Model C3, it lists
'color-coded exposure and distance settings (in latest model only)'
6. Same comment as in 5. appears with models C4 and A-four.
This feature was presumably introduced simultaneously on all models?
7. The only other manufacturers appering in the buying guide for
which serial number ranges are provided are Leica and Rollei.
8. Ben Miller's list states that the CC 'Army variant' is 'without
meter, black, front focus, f4.5 lens'
