Ferrania Box

Photos by Sylvain Halgand text by Sylvain Halgand. From the collection of Sylvain Halgand. Last update 2022-12-09 par Sylvain Halgand.

Manufactured or assembled in Italy from 1938 to (After) 1938.
Index of rarity in France: Rare (among non-specialized garage sales)
Inventory number: 4689

See the complete technical specifications

Chronology of cameras Ferrania

In 1938, the Capelli company was renamed Ferrrania. It sells at that time two metal box with atypical shapes. The smaller of the two uses 127 film and provides 4.5 x 6 cm negatives. Its construction is simple, except the shape of the front portion, which requires a particular deep drawing.
The metal body is covered with a very thin synthetic material under which, on each side of the body, appears a button that allows to separate the body from the front part, to load the film.
The front portion is painted black.
The built-in viewfinder in the embossed portion is small and impractical.
The same camera has been previously manufactured and sold under the name Filma, as the company was called FILM (Fabbrica Italiana Lamine Milano) Capelli Ferrania SA

__________

The company that would later become Ferrania had been manufacturing dynamite since 1882. During World War I, it became known as SIPE (Société Italienne Produits Explosifs) and supplied cannon powder to the Tsar of Russia. However, following the October Revolution, it began producing celluloid using its enormous stock of raw materials. Around 1917, it transformed into FILM, with Pathé Frères holding half of the company's shares for a period, and began manufacturing positive film for the cinema industry.

In 1932, FILM acquired Cappelli, a company specialized in glass plates. The company Film Cappelli Ferrania then produced films and photographic papers. In 1936, they initiated the production of cameras, and in 1938, the name was shortened to Ferrania. In 1964, 3M Minnesota became a shareholder, and the company was renamed Ferrania-3M.

In 1947, Ferrania introduced the first European color film, Ferraniacolor, and in 1981, they developed the most sensitive reversal film of the time (640 ASA), surpassing Kodak's Ektachrome High Speed.

(1) Collaboration with the founder of ICAF.

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