The purpose of this program is to illustrate and give emphasis to the awesome impact Zeiss Ikon engineers were able to effect on the international camera market between the years 1926-72. While this study will explore some dates outside this timeline, it's the middle two-quarters of the 1900's that set the stage here.

Zeiss Ikon was formed in 1926, the result of an amalgamation of five strong German camera companies into one enormous camera making combine. This remarkable union blended Carl Zeiss/Jena A.G. with the camera "werks" of ICA A.G. and ERNEMANN A.G. of Dresden, GOERZ A.G. of Berlin and CONTESSA-NETTEL A.G. of Stuttgart into one photographic foundation. This manufacturing combination was suddenly very large with offices, and factories, in five separate cities all across Germany.

World War II had yet to tear these companies apart from each other (as it would later prove to do) and cooperation within Zeiss Ikon was abundant until 1939. This concern chose Dresden as its headquarters. The union brought together simultaneously the greatest optical and engineering minds of the "parent" (A.G.) companies. Combined, they formed a camera making "think-tank" that produced more quality cameras in more widely assorted formats, better than anyone, for nearly fifty years. It was clear from the start that these five groups needed to consolidate their designs and ideas together to support a common cause. All early Zeiss Ikon cameras will hold a series of clues about their background development through a name, model number or design.

Many of these early models were inherited as a result of the merger and were simply continued as Zeiss Ikon cameras in their early catalogs. Some were from ICA, others were influenced by Goerz, Ernemann or Contessa-Nettel.

At the time of the merger each "Parent" company was moving in a particular direction. CARL ZEISS/JENA: Carl Zeiss' first optical workshop was founded in 1846. This company is still very active in the specialty optics business in Jena (an East German university city) not far from Dresden. In 1902, Carl Zeiss/Jena entered the camera making business when it absorbed the PALMOS A.G. camera makers.

While most camera historians feel that Carl Zeiss/Jena held an anchor position in this merger, it was actually a separate division: CARL ZEISS/PALMOS that broke away (in an earlier merger of 1909) and blended together with ICA. Jointly they grouped with the others into Zeiss Ikon A.G. in 1926. Very early and rare Carl Zeiss/Jena Palmos cameras were the first "Zeiss" cameras and most, but not all, were designed around the famous Tessar lens, first developed in 1902. 

ICA influence was very strong all through the early years of Zeiss Ikon. They had been producing large folding plate and rollfilm designs and went on to become very active in the smaller "miniature" models. In 1926, comparing to a 6X9cm. format, any smaller "hand-camera" was considered miniature. Born and raised in Dresden, credit ICA with: The BEBE, POLYSKOP, IDEAL, STEREO IDEAL, PALMOS SERIES, TRONA, TRIX, CUPIDO, STEREOLETTE CUPIDO, TOSKA, HALLOH, VICTRIX, VOLTA and NIXE. The most prolific of all ICA designs proved to be a long running series of rollfilm folders called ICARETTES.

CONTESSA-NETTEL designers collaborated on tropical wooden plate and folding rollfilm models all the way up to the development of the outstanding SUPER IKONTA line. They were also responsible for the: TROPICAL-ADORO, MIROFLEX, ARGUS monocular, PICCOLETTE, PICCOLETTE-LUXUS, DUROLL, TESSCO, NETTEL, DECKRULLO-NETTEL, SONNET, SONNET-TROPICAL, ONITO, TAXO and multiple COCARETTE versions.

The GOERZ contingent, in Berlin, was concentrating on box cameras and optics when they became part of Zeiss Ikon. BABY BOX-TENGORS and BOX-TENGORS of several other sizes resulted. These problem-solvers rolled up their sleeves and developed optical machinery and assisted in engineering and production drawings on almost all of Zeiss Ikon's early innovations. Goerz contributed: ANSCHUTZ, ROLL TENGOR, ERA-BOX, TENAX FOLDING PLATE CAMERAS, TENAX STRUT TYPE CAMERAS (VEST-POCKET, COAT-POCKET & STEREO VERSIONS) and the PHOTO-STEREO-BINOCLE opera glasses/camera of 1899. 

ERNEMANN was a well established solid enterprise when they joined into the union and they brought with them several classic camera designs. They made little folding cameras known as Bob's or Bobette's throughout Europe. They also produced a big odd "Klapp" style series named: Ernoflex. The most noteworthy design from Ernemann remains The Ermanox. This was an early "fast" lensed camera that continued as a Zeiss Ikon product for several years after the birth of Zeiss Ikon. Other contributions from Ernemann include: Film K, Film U, Ernoflex Tropical Ernette, Erni, Liliput, Simplex & Unette. A popular series of drop-bed folders called Heag, with more than a dozen versions, is the best known Ernemann trade name.

The "TimeMachines..." collection brings together the collective fruits of their labor. These cameras all recorded images in the places and times long since past. They are all retired from service now and seem to quietly stare back at us while wondering if we're camera shy.