Kodak Print AD Announcing the New Kodak Tourist Camera (Original 1948 Print Ad)

Object/Artifact

-

The TRP Camera Obscura Collection

Name/Title

Kodak Print AD "Announcing the New Kodak Tourist Camera" (Original 1948 Print Ad)

Entry/Object ID

517

Tags

Iconic

Description

This original 1948 advertisement from the September issue of National Geographic announces the launch of the Kodak Tourist, the first in the series that eventually led to your boxed Tourist II. The ad highlights the technological leap from older folding cameras, specifically showcasing the "rugged die-cast aluminum body" and the "quick-set exposure computer" on the top of the camera. It captures a pivotal moment in post-WWII consumer history when photography was marketed as a "smart and capable" hobby for the modern traveler. The $61.50 price tag in 1948 is equivalent to roughly $790 today. This was a high-end luxury purchase for most families, which explains why they were often kept in their original boxes and well-maintained.

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