Wooden box with Nikkor Lenses, Apo-Nikkor 150mm f9?

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Today I received a box with three Nikkor lenses. The box has no markings. It probably had four at one point, but one is missing, sadly. Two are rehoused Bronica lenses (Nikkor-P 75/2.8 and Nikkor-Q 135/3.5), but the other is a APO-Nikkor 150/9, on which I cannot find any information.
Sadly one of the aperture blades has gone wrong and the lens won't open up to f9, and only close down from f22 to f90. It also has a waterhouse slot, that can be closed with a lever.
All three are rehoused in large barrels and have filter adapters to 62mm. The barrels and filter adapters are all marked "For use to [insert lens specifics]" The barrels have large threads to mount, and mount in the wooden box. All three have Nippon Kogaku Tokyo lens caps, coincidentally all three are different (Two are one-sided spring caps, but one has the pin on the left, the other on the right. The third is a two-sided spring cap.)
What were they used for, and what kind of lens is the APO-Nikkor 150mm?
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor1.JPG
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor2.JPG
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor3.JPG
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor4.JPG

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Some more photographs, the forum only allows four images in one post? I hope I'm not breaking any rules here.
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor5.JPG
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor6.JPG
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor7.JPG
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor8.JPG

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http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor9.JPG
http://www.eenportfolio.nl/nikkor10.jpg
And at the last a picture of the barrel construction.

[Steven Tribe]

I would suggest it is an early version of the process type Nikkor M which is known to be exceptional sharp, also at infinity. These are only mentioned in VM as very large versions. The barrel slot for filters etc. is a typical process lens feature.

[Dan Fromm]

According to an old catalog, the 150/9 Apo-Nikkor is a tessar type. Covers 45 degrees, 125 mm at infinity. The catalog says it can be used at all distances.

[Math]

Seems like it's worth trying, I mounted it on a Pentax 67 today with Bellows for some macro try-outs, we'll see how that went. Wide open. :)


According to an old catalog, the 150/9 Apo-Nikkor is a tessar type. Covers 45 degrees, 125 mm at infinity. The catalog says it can be used at all distances.
125mm shouldn't be enough for 4x5", does it only list coverage for f9? Do you have a scan of the catalog, and for what purpose does it list the lens? Thanks!

I'm also wondering about why these lenses were rehoused, would this have been done by Nikon themselves?

[Dan Fromm]

Damn right its worth using. ~150 mm process lenses -- I have 135/10 Apo Saphir, 150/9 Apo Ronar, 150/9 Cooke Copying Lens (= Apotal) -- are very useful on 2x3. Nice sharp distortionless lenses.

The coverage listed is at f/16. No scan, sorry. "Apo-Nikkor lenses are especially designed for use in photoengraving work."

I have no idea who rehoused the lenses or why. I doubt Nikon did it, could be wrong.