Zeiss Sample Case
In the mid-1950's Zeiss Ikon Stuttgart began offering dealers 'display sample cases'. Some people wrongly call these salesman's sample cases. Zeiss started promoting the full range of Contax items using these cases around April 1955. Cases were also offered for Contina III, Contaflex, and probably other Zeiss systems. The interiors were attractively lined in velvet. The inside top fabric was embossed with the Zeiss Ikon logo. The case hinges were slip hinges so the top would slide off and could function as a soft velvet display surface for the Contax equipment. Cases came with a full range of Contax interchangeable lenses, filters, viewfinders, and cameras (probably one camera came with the case). Zeiss offered the case to dealers free of charge with a 5 percent discount on all accessories. Discounts were also offered to the dealer on the cameras if they were ordered to fill out the set. Earlier cases are shown with spots for three camera bodies. Zeiss suggested dealers use these cases as an appealing way to promote Contax sales. Obviously this did not work well enough as camera production ceased in 1971. Zeiss is still in business and makes optics.
Contax Cameras and Accessories
Before WWII plants in Dresden, Jena, and Stuttgart had several thousand workers. During the war the city of Dresden was mostly destroyed by bombing. Once the war ended the remains of the plants under Russian control were reassembled. Many of the engineers and camera assembly people escaped to Stuttgart. A new Zeiss Ikon factory was set up in Stuttgart. Introduced around March 1950 in this country the Contax IIa and IIIa were beautifully made machines. The post-war cameras were more refined, better machined, and smaller than the pre-war Contax cameras. There were two versions of the IIa and IIIa Contax cameras. The black dial camera (the speed dial is all lettered in black) needed a special sync cord for the flash (1361 bulbs, 1366 electronic flash). The red dial camera (the later camera) had a modern day PC fitting for electronic flash.
21mm f4.5 Zeiss Biogon lens
Contax No3
A sharp ultra-wide lens. It had a 90 degree angle of view, 8 elements, and focused to 3 feet. (list price 1960, $209) catalog number 11.1804
Shoe mount bubble level for the 21mm f4.5 Biogon
Contax No4
A rare accessory which was available for leveling the 21mm f4.5 Biogon. These levels were beautifully turned on a lathe and heavily metal plated.
Zeiss wide-angle view-finder for 21mm
Contax No5
It mounts on the shoe and was still made to hold a level. (list price 1960, $25) catalog number 20.1500