Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]
At 08:15 PM 3/12/2001 +0100, Hans-Peter.Lammerich@t-online.de wrote:
>Finally, in the mid/late 1950s Leica went digital.
Two points.
First, "LEICA" itself is a five-letter telegram code for, oddly enough,
LEITZ CAMERA.
Second, Leitz went digital in the late 1930's and adopted an entire digital
scheme to replace the alphabetic soup. These numbers are shown on the '39
ELNY catalogue you get on Erwin's magnificent CD-ROM (hint! hint!). But
the War caused the conversion to be put on hold and by the time the Gnomes
of Wetzlar got around to trying to convert a second time, they had to come
up with an absolutely new system. Hence, some Leitz items have a code-word
and TWO catalogue numbers.
While Zeiss used code-words, Zeiss Ikon, from the get-go, used a numeric
code, though this was a system of up to four digits, a slash, and then up
to four more digits, such as "532/16", the catalogue number for the second
("single-window") version of the Super Ikonta B. The system was developed
by Heinz Kuppenbender, his first task while employed by Zeiss Ikon, and was
a titanic chore, as the catalogues of four different manufacturers (ICA,
Goerz, Ernemann, and Contessa-Nettel) had to be integrated. This system
was replaced by a new numeric system in the late 1950's, xx.xxxx, to
accomodate computerized stock control and marketing.
And, yes, Franke & Heidecke used codewords as well.
Marc
msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315
Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!