#Vose and sons serial numbers serial numbers
#Vose and sons serial numbers serial number
#Vose and sons serial numbers code
#Vose and sons serial numbers series

#Vose and sons serial numbers series

Early in the piece, the Yashica Flex B seems to have started with six digit numbers and then changed to a new series with 5 digits. Lens numbers began logically but there are some other oddities too. When the numbers appeared to run out, the Yashica Mat-124G changed from a 7 digit series, with the вЂњ0вЂќ and вЂњ1вЂќ pattern noted above, to a new 6 digit series with no вЂњ0вЂќ and вЂњ1вЂќ pattern. The Yashica 635 changed its alpha prefix from ST to SX. Finally, the solution has hit me in the face - see below: This happens with all the alpha prefixed numbers for all models and also occurs with the unprefixed 7 digit numbers of the Yashica Mat-124 and Yashica Mat-124G. However, the second (from the left) digit of the вЂњAвЂќ numbers rarely is higher than вЂњ0вЂќ and never more than вЂњ1вЂќ so that there will be for example A 20xxxxx and A 21xxxxx but never A 22xxxxx, the next number being in the A 30xxxxx range. The final block of Yashica A numbers have an вЂњAвЂќ prefix. Similar patterns are found with the other models in this period and usually, the first few digits are the same across the models. These are followed by 6 digit numbers beginning with 61. Then there are 8 digit numbers beginning with 3810 followed by 7 digit numbers beginning with 391 and then 8 digit again with 3910. Yashica also opened their New York office in 1957 - is the new numbering system somehow linked, or a complete coincidence?ДЄs an example, the Yashica A begins with 5 digit numbers, then changes to 6 digit numbers beginning with 79, then changes to 8 digit numbers starting with 5710, followed by 7 digit numbers beginning with 584. The affected models are the Yashica A, B, D and 635 and Yashica-Mat at, or towards, the beginning of their production, the Yashicaflex A (new model) and B (new model), Yashica C and LM at the end of their production and the second two thirds of Yashica 44 and first half of 44A and 44LM production.

#Vose and sons serial numbers serial numbers

The numbers seemed to be most confusing in the 1957 to 1960 period after which cameras still in production adopted serial numbers with prefixes and settled into a more logical progression again.

#Vose and sons serial numbers code

However, in the latter case, production switched from one model to the other and the appearance of continuity is given by the numbers based on a date code (see below).ДЄs the вЂњYashicaвЂќ models came into play, things became interesting with odd sequences, some earlier numbers having more digits than later ones. Two possible exceptions are from Yashima Flex to Yashica Flex B (there may have been a minor jump by about 2,000 or so) and from Yashica Mat-124 to Yashica Mat-124G where the numbers appear to continue on. Serial numbers were not consecutive model to model, usually.

#Vose and sons serial numbers serial number

The MolfoReflex has three unrelated serial number ranges. The Yashicaflex AS-II is another exception with a short series in the 30xxx range, then from 81xxx to 83xxx followed by a new series from 19xxx to 23xxx. The first exception is the first model, the Pigeonflex! Following the first few examples in my database, the body serial numbers dropped some 40,000. Originally, body serial numbers were generally consecutive within a model's production, although sometimes the numbers jumped, or increased digits, at some significant point. If the forum members had shown less negativity and more imagination and willingness to investigate, they would have got past the translation problems and saved me a ton of work! In 2006, I hadn't acquired my first Yashica yet so the unknown contributor to the Chinese website must get at least some recognition for working out the idea of a date code first. That is the date of an archived post on discussing Electro 35 serial numbers where a forum member presented a crude Google translation of the date code theory he had found on a Chinese website.

The reason I say this is that in late 2017, I have become aware that an unknown Chinese person solved the puzzle, certainly for post 1960 non-SLRs, including TLRs, at least as long ago as August 2006. Together, we solved the YF and other SLR patterns until from late 1968, they again followed the TLR system (the cut-off for our investigations was the introduction of the Contax RTS and the Contax/Yashica mount). Contributor Chris Whelan worked out that the YE rangefinder and Pentamatic SLR also used date codes but the implementation was a little different to the other models. The working out of the date codes and serial number patterns for the TLRs and some of the non-SLRs presented here is entirely my own work. Location of Body Serial Numbers Acknowledgement The Yashica Spares System Theory - the Impact on Serial NumbersДo These Patterns and Date Codes Exist for Other Format Yashica Models? 7 Digit Numbers - Correlation to Model Release and End Dates