Gelto 3- Baby OSO

[alex5150]

Dear Sir/Madam,

Maybe someone could help me with a camera i have. It is a Gelto-D-3, Serial # 8270. It has a leather case that says Baby Oso on it.
Lens- Grimmel 45 F-50 mm
Specs No. 11254 Anastigmat.
Gelto is not stamped on either side of the camera.

Pictures available upon request.

Thanks for your time,
Alex

[diser]

Alex,
Does the camera look like one of these:
http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Toa-(Toakoki-Seisakusho)/Gelto-D-III-gold.html
http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Toa-(Toakoki-Seisakusho)/Gelto-D-III-black.html

Do you have "Gelto-III" printed on the lens?

Regarding the camera case, it could have been derived from another camera (if you really have Gelto and not original Baby Oso)...

[alex5150]

diser,
Thanks for the reply.
It does have Gelto-D III on the lens.
I figured the case might not be for this but I don't know.
I tried to open the pictures but I got a 404 message,
Can I send you a few pictures?
Of the similar cameras I found on the web the differences are my camera doesn't have gelto on the sides and the pattern and color on mine seems differant than the ones I've seen.

Thanks again for your help,

Alex

[diser]

Alex, you can attach photos to your message here.

[alex5150]

Enclosed are a couple pictures.
Thanks again for your help.

Alex

[alex5150]

Brief history of this camera.
My father got the camera in Okinawa. It was taken off a Japanese bomber in 1943 in the Solomon Islands by a U.S. Navy SeaBee.
I hope this helps.

Thanks again,

Alex

[diser]

Alex,
Looking at f4.5 lens and the folding latch key, this camera is one of the 1938 models.
In 1950 models the lens were f3.5 and there was a latch lever, not a folding key.
Also, there were no metal plates with the "Gelto" on sides in 1938.
That's a good news since 1938 models are as twice as valuable.
At the same time, silver or gold bodies without the leather trim were only for 1950 models.
I'd say the leather trim was removed from the camera at some point, hence the confusion.