Linhof And Kobold Flash Pictures

I was able to track down both a Kobold (silver & black) and Linhof flash (silver & black)

So for those experts out there. Who produced the Kobold Flashes? Did Kobold do them or did Linhof do them or were they both producing their own versions? I have been trying to find some background history on the Kobold Company, but I am not coming up with much of anything. I emailed Linhof on the subject and I am waiting to hear back.

Does anyone know what the BC in "Kobold B-C" stands for?

Also I have read conflicting accounts that Linhof flashes were and were not used. Anyone want to comment.

Also would love to see your Droid Flashes (Linhof, Kobold and replicas). I will post pictures of mine when my Linhof arrives, probably next week.

Here are my 2 Kobolds that I currently own ... one screen accurate, the other close ...





my third Kobold went to VFXfreak to complement his real life ammo firing Han Solo blaster.

As for the history behind these flashes ... Kobold in Germany produced them for all kinds of photographic equipment ... since Linhof was a lead camera seller here in Europe ... they probably ordered them from Kobold with their own brand name added and possibly paid extra for it.

Were any Linhof flashes used as droidcallers? ... Perhaps, they sure look the part ... except yours is what I call the 'Princess Leia version' since it's smaller and would fit better in her hands ... and was not used on screen ... also it does not have the correct clamp or clip for Luke's ESB D-ring not screen-accurate anyways ... I know since I have the same kind ... from Kobold

Chaim

Battery Capacitor (well, probably) or just plain Battery Case.

I'll see if I can locate my Princess Leia Droidcaller, if I recall with original Kobold package box and manual ... perhaps Probe Droid's Battery Capacitor could well be the correct explanation indeed

Chaim

Here's an, unfortunately, crappy MoM pic I shot ages back. I fooled with it a bit to show more detail, which, also unfortunately makes it more grainy. For what it's worth (if anything).

Here is a picture of my Kobold next to my Linhof



Sadly I lost one of the set screws while using one on Halloween. Note to self, get a replica when doing Halloween stuff.

After seeing a bunch of different Kobolds, I think I can confidently say that at least the tops of Linhof's could have been used with the bottoms being Kobold. I have detailed pictures in a article I just wrote on Linhof, if you're interested.

Next I want to try and track down a black Kobold. I know that task is going to be difficult, but I am up for the challenge. So far I have been able to get both the Kobold and Linhof at a discount.

I have also been looking at picking up a replica. The best replica looks like it is going to be produced by Dark Energy Creations. An all metal version at $175. Here is the link.

Your Kobold is the 'stepped' version which was used for Han Solo's droidcaller in ESB and painted black ... your Linhof looks quite the same as my nameless flashgun which has no step and the screws are apart from eachother in the clamp. I loved your history story via your link ... just noticed 2 typos saying underscored : Lenhof instead of Linhof in the beginning And if you bring enough gold pressed latinum along you'll be able to score an ANH Kobold easily ... prices have gone highwire lately . . . to the absurd.

Chaim

Thanks for they typo catch. I suppose someone else probably could spell it that way by mistake. Maybe I should start looking on Ebay for that spelling as well. Just don't tell anyone that secret. Actually I did look for the German spelling and found one person bought one last year for about $3. Sometimes you can get really lucky if you're persistent enough in your searches.

Here is another Linhof, which looks almost identical to the ESB version. Notice the screws are together and the bulb in recessed. This particular model is probably older than mine because it says West Germany instead of just Germany.

It depends ... the term West-Germany was probably introduced after WW2 ended, since by then Germany was devided into east and west until 1989 ... so I suspect just Germany is older, also by 1989 after the wall fell these flashgun were mostly gone and replaced by more modern equipment, don't you agree?

Chaim

You could be correct. Before WWII (1945) usually items were marked with “Made in Germany” or simply “Germany”.


From 1945 to 1949, before the “Federal Republic of Germany” was established, mostly no identification was used on items, but occasionally, merely depending on the availability of components, also “Made in Germany” is found.


Identifications such as “Made in Germany – US-Zone” were normally confined to high technical products, e.g. quality-lenses also for military uses, on which sales or export restrictions were applied.


From 1949 (until today) “Made in Germay” was used again, but from ca. 1952/55 “Made in Western-Germany” or “Made in West-Germany” was preferred to distinguish from GDR (East-Germany). But this was not compulsory and rather used at whim.


“West-Germany” became obsolete in 1990. But these days “Made in Germany” is commonly replaced by “Made in EU”

Just based on the pictures, It looks to me like mine might be newer, but who knows. Actually since Linhof is still around, maybe they will answer me. I already sent them one question, but I haven't heard a reply.

Verifying age of Antiques can be a tricky business unless you have patent numbers or something that gives you a better idea of when it might have been made.