Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/05/10
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> I believe we've been through this before. Karl Kellner (he of the Kellner
> Eyepiece design) founded what is now the Leica company in 1849. Is Konica
> older than this? I believe it IS older than Hasselblad and Linhof.
<JOKE>
As you can see from:
http://www.konishi.co.jp/E/shirayuki/history.html
In 1550AD the Konishi family (founder,Shinuemon Sohgo) started making Sake on the side whilst selling medicine. The Konishi family
were able to gauge the social trends very accurately,and used abrupt changes to their own advantage. During the 18th century the
family entered the railway and banking businesses.
The Konica Corporation is the modern day presence of the world's oldest film company. Founded in 1873 as the Konishi Company, the
original business of the firm was to sell photographic plates and to process photographic materials. (It is interesting to note that
the Eastman Kodak company was only established some 15 years later in 1888) as you can see from:
http://www.midsouth.co.za/konhist.htm
Konica was partially founded by Jesse Ramsden, this of Ramsden eyepiece design:
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By the age of 27 he had his own business in London where he became acknowledged as the most skilful designer of mathematical,
astronomical, surveying and navigational instruments in the 18th Century. After being elected Fellow of the Royal Society (1786) he
travelled to Japan, as a navigational instruments maker. There he started a cooperation with Konishi company and died from fever in
Soupthampton, just after returning from Japan. In meantime, he also visited North America, where was widely known as 'Dark Jesse' or
'Jesse James'. He died of fever in Southampton, just after return from America. As you see, Konica was not only founded in 1550, it
also benefitted from strong influence of Jesse Ramsden :-)
</JOKE> :-)
- -----
St.
(Stanislaw B.A. Stawowy)
http://www.geocities.com/Stanislaw_Stawowy
Echelon/Carnivore lines: Bob Black, Hakim Bey,
Ralph Klein, Sabotage in the American Workplace