1930 Zeiss Ikon Baby Box Tengor with original box, Freshly Serviced, CLA'd!

Cleaned, Lubricated & Adjusted. Ready for immediate use

Fifty years ago I started collecting box cameras. It started with an old Kodak box camera I found in a friend’s back yard. It had been crudely pulled apart and parts of it were scattered in the long dried grass that had managed to avoid the attention of a lawn mower… It was clear no one was interested in it so I asked if I could have it. It was a hot summer’s day in California, the sweat tricked down my friend’s forehead as he thought about it. Then he shrugged in that easy way kids do and said “…sure, but it’ll never work.” After a quick search, we managed to locate all the bits and pieces. Then with that taken care of, we wiped away the sweat and went in search of the ice cream truck.

I don’t recall if we actually did manage to get ice cream that day but I do know I did manage to repair and successfully use the box camera. When I got my first pictures I was thrilled by the magic of it all. That camera was nothing more than a piece of wood, a cardboard body, some fiddly bits of metal and a lens that looked like it had been made out of window glass, yet some how it actually managed to record images on film…   I was hooked and I’ve tinkered and collected cameras ever since.

A lot has changed since then. Over the years, my box camera collection gave way to more sophisticated models. Now-a-days I have my fair share of the classics with names like Super Ikonta, Bessa, Contax, Leica and other famous names.  But despite that I till haven’t forgotten box cameras and that first thrill… If you know what I mean then you might enjoy the following item.

In this listing we have a near mint example of a circa 1930 Zeiss-Ikon Baby Box Tengor. It’s a very small camera that uses 127 roll film and this model, is the very first version which was only produced for a brief time.

127 film is still available on the internet, so you can actually use this camera if you’re so inclined. This Baby Box Tengor even comes with its original box and a little case made of leather. It reminds you that once upon a time these cameras were meant to work for a living…

All in all, a cute and amusing little camera and ready to be used if you’re so inclined.