The manufacturer's label inside the camera identifies it as Kodak Rainbow Hawkeye No. 2C model, scarce and uncommon to the point of missing from several publicly available online lists of Brownie camera models. The brass inventory plaque "AMTORG 1425" identifies the camera as belonging to the Soviet AMTORG Trading Corporation, the official Soviet Union trade representative in the USA with offices in New York City. "AMTORG" is an acronym for AMerikanskaya TORGovlya ("American Trade"). The organization was incorporated in the state of New York in May 1924 as the primary sales and p

The manufacturer's label inside the camera identifies it as Kodak Rainbow Hawkeye No. 2C model, scarce and uncommon to the point of missing from several publicly available online lists of Brownie camera models. The brass inventory plaque "AMTORG 1425" identifies the camera as belonging to the Soviet AMTORG Trading Corporation, the official Soviet Union trade representative in the USA with offices in New York City. "AMTORG" is an acronym for AMerikanskaya TORGovlya ("American Trade"). The organization was incorporated in the state of New York in May 1924 as the primary sales and purchases agency in the United States even before the US formally recognized the Soviet regime in 1933.

Along with exports of raw materials and commodities and imports of American machinery, technology, and essential goods to propel the Soviet economy, AMTORG was a key operational hub for Soviet intelligence activities. State security services, including OGPU and later NKVD, conducted a wide gamut of industrial, scientific, technological and military espionage operations.

The Brownie camera, - ordinary, unassuming and easy to operate, - was an excellent tool for surveillance and surreptitious photography made by Soviet agents working for AMTORG, blending in with the public and not standing out.

Cosmetically, the camera is in very good to excellent condition, showing mild wear to the leatherette finish at the corners and a few tiny spots at the edges. The leatherette is very lightly and attractively soiled, adding to the air of age and authenticity of the camera.

Mechanically, the camera appears to be sound and possibly even in good working condition. We did not test actual photography but the shutter appears to be working. Inside, the parts and surfaces look undamaged. The design is so simple that it is hard to imagine that the camera will not work unless something is bent out of shape or broken off. Which is not the case here, as far as we could tell.

Please note that the quarter coin in our photo is for size reference.
$750.00  Add to cart