508mm f/7 ILEX lenses

[cowanw]

Intersesting, based on serial numbers there are over 1000 of these. Quite a lot, I am thinking.

[fuegocito]

Intersesting, based on serial numbers there are over 1000 of these. Quite a lot, I am thinking.

Mine is an Acutar #129, I am imagining each different naming comes with its own set of serial numbers.

[cowanw]

Just noticing that Helcio's Ilex calumet is 1009 and Jason's is 159; mine is under 100 and that is just Ilex-Calumet's!

[Dan Fromm]

Mine is an Acutar #129, I am imagining each different naming comes with its own set of serial numbers.

I don't think so.

[fuegocito]

I don't think so.

Not that I care but are you saying it's possible that an Acutar #129 is follow by an Ilex-Calumet #130??? Somehow I can't imagine that is the case.

[Dan Fromm]

Not that I care but are you saying it's possible that an Acutar #129 is follow by an Ilex-Calumet #130??? Somehow I can't imagine that is the case.

Same production line. All that changes is the trim ring. And when I was looking at Ilex lenses while writing my article on them I saw, e.g., 90/8s with all possible badges and serial numbers in the same range. If you haven't read the article you should. The list has a link to it.

Possibly not relevant, but that's what Yamasaki Optical, who sold lenses with their own brand (Congo) and with various resellers' badges, did.

[fuegocito]

Maybe we are not talking about the same thing here, what I am saying it's more likely that all the one with Actar name gets its own set of serial number, and all the Ilex Calumet get its own set of serial number...

[Dan Fromm]

We are talking about the same thing. We don't agree.

To restate what I understand, Ilex sold, for example, f/8 Super Angulon type lenses as Wide Field Paragon and Acugon. Calumet sold the same lenses as Ilex-Calumet Wide Field Caltar. Burleigh Brooks sold them as Acu-Veriwide. As I understand it they were numbered sequentially within focal length, regardless of trade name on the trim ring. One set of serial numbers for 47 mm lenses, another for 65ers and one more for 90ers.

I could be mistaken. Convincing me that I am will take evidence such as two of these lenses with different trade names and the same focal length and s/n.

As far as I know Ilex' production records like the Zeiss, Rodenstock, ... records that Hartmut Thiele mined no longer exist. Modern Ilex LF lenses are thin on the ground so compiling s/n lists by model, focal length and trade name is going to be difficult and will take quite a while.