Sears Tower 120 Folding Camera
Name/Title
Sears Tower 120 Folding CameraEntry/Object ID
389Tags
RelicDescription
This Tower-branded folding camera was a private-label offering sold through Sears, Roebuck & Co. during the early 1950s. While branded "Tower," these cameras were often manufactured by other companies—in this specific case, likely the Japanese firm Tougodo (indicated by the "Crystar" lens). It features a horizontal folding design with a black bellows and a simple synchronized leaf shutter offering 1/50s and "Bulb" speeds. Designed for 120 roll film, it produced large medium-format negatives, likely in the $6 \times 9cm or 6 \times 4.5cm format. The camera’s construction utilizes a mix of stamped metal and a textured leatherette covering, with a pop-up viewfinder on the top plate. This artifact is a classic example of the post-WWII "Department Store" camera era, where major retailers offered affordable, rebranded Japanese imports to the growing American middle class.Category
Camera, 120 Film, Folding
Media Type