146 - Modellbau L. Hildebrand, Jena | Hillar II

Modellbau L. Hildebrand, Jena | Hillar II Estimate: €1,400–1,800 Year: c. 1950 Condition: B+ English: The Hilla II is one of the most remarkable small-scale and early East German camera designs from the immediate postwar period. Produced by Modellbau L. Hildebrand, Jena, it was sold both as a fully assembled camera and as a kit, reflecting the material shortages, ingenuity, and highly distinctive manufacturing culture of the years around 1950. Despite its deceptively simple wooden body, the Hilla II is a fully functional 35mm camera for the standard 24 x 36 mm format. Film is transported from one cassette directly into a second cassette, eliminating the need for a conventional rewind mechanism. The camera is equipped with a mechanically driven frame counter, a simple internal pressure plate, and a carefully fitted wooden back designed to ensure light-tight operation. This particular example is fitted with the distinctive Hillar 1:3.5 f=5 cm lens, an extremely rare lens whose manufacturer has not yet been conclusively identified. The shutter offers T, B, 1/25, 1/50, and 1/100 sec., with the aperture closing to f/16. The combination of the Hillar lens, wooden construction, and unusual cassette-to-cassette transport system gives the Hilla II a character entirely unlike that of conventional East German 35mm cameras of the period. Contemporary sources indicate that the Hilla II was sold for 39.55 marks, with the related Hilla I roll-film version priced slightly lower. The Hilla I used 127 roll film in the 3 x 4 cm format, while the Hilla II represented the more ambitious miniature-camera version for 35mm film. The model is exceptionally rare today. Its history and construction were discussed in *Photographica Cabinett*, No. 47, 2009, in articles devoted specifically to the Hilla cameras from Jena. Even among specialist collectors, the Hilla remained virtually unknown for many years, underscoring just how obscure this small-production camera has become. Particularly noteworthy is the provenance of this camera: it is the actual Hilla II formerly illustrated and documented by the Deutsches Kameramuseum, where it was listed among the museum’s special and unusual exhibits. German: The Hilla II is one of the most remarkable small-series camera designs from East Germany in the immediate postwar period. It was manufactured by Modellbau L. Hildebrand in Jena and offered both as a finished camera and as a kit—reflecting the material shortages, ingenuity, and highly individualized manufacturing culture of the 1950s. Despite its seemingly simple wooden body, the Hilla II is a fully functional 35mm camera for the standard 24 × 36 mm format. The film is transported directly from one cassette to a second, eliminating the need for a conventional rewind mechanism. The set includes a mechanically operated frame counter, a simple internal film pressure plate, and a carefully fitted wooden back plate designed to ensure lighttightness. It is equipped with a Hillar 1:3.5 f=5 cm lens, an extremely unusual lens whose manufacturer has not yet been definitively identified. The shutter offers T, B, 1/25, 1/50, and 1/100 second; the aperture can be closed down to f/16. The combination of the Hillar lens, wooden construction, and unusual cassette-to-cassette transport gives the Hilla II a character entirely different from that of conventional East German 35mm cameras of the time. According to contemporary records, the Hilla II cost 39.55 marks; the related Hilla I roll film camera was slightly less expensive. The Hilla I used 127 roll film in the 3 × 4 cm format, while the Hilla II represented the more sophisticated 35mm 35mm film version. The model is extremely rare today. Its history and construction were discussed in “Photographica Cabinett,” No. 47, 2009, in articles specifically devoted to the Jena Hilla cameras. Even among specialized collectors, the Hilla was practically unknown for a long time—an indication of just how rare this small-series camera is. Its provenance is particularly noteworthy: this is the very same Hilla II that was photographed and documented by the German Camera Museum in Markkleeberg, where it was considered one of the museum’s most special and unusual exhibits.