The cost of the original Kodak Brownie was $1.
George Eastman received a patent for the original Kodak Brownie camera on April 11, 1899, and it was released to the public in February 1900. Palmer Cox, a talented illustrator, had created a popular set of whimsical cartoon characters named the Brownies. The adventures of the characters were followed by both children and adults. Linking the camera and its packaging to the characters was a huge success. The Kodak Brownie launched with instant name recognition.
The Original Brownie
George Eastman wanted an inexpensive camera that would appeal to the masses, His product designer, Frank Brownell, was able to deliver the perfect product. The Kodak Brownie featured inexpensive components encased in a cardboard box that was covered with imitation leather. The camera sold for the astonishing price of $1. The Kodak Brownie was marketed on the wings of a simple slogan that trumpeted its ease of use---"Operated by any school boy or girl." The original model was in production through October 1901, and approximately 260,000 units were manufactured.
Beau Brownie
Eastman Kodak spent the next 25 years improving upon the structure and exterior design of the Brownie. In 1927, the company retained the services of Walter Dorwin Teague for a more stylish design. Teague was a well-established industrial designer. The Beau Brownie was released in 1930 with an art deco motif for the face of the camera. The exterior container was switched from cardboard to metal, and the imitation leather covering matched the color scheme on the face of the camera. The Beau Brownie was distributed in blue, green, tan, rose and black. The Beau Brownie was in production from 1930 to 1933.
Brownie Target
Eastman Kodak released the Target Brownie Six-20 in 1941, and the art-deco faceplate had a more conservative look than the Beau Brownie. The patch quilt look was replaced with a design of vertical lines, and the metal exterior was wrapped in the traditional black imitation leather. In 1946 the name was change to Brownie Target Six-20. The final production date was recorded as May 1952. There was also a Mickey Mouse Brownie Target Six-20 prototype featuring a Mickey Mouse faceplate. The Mickey Mouse prototype was never released for production.
Brownie Hawkeye
The Brownie Hawkeye was introduced to the public in May 1949. The shape of the Brownie Hawkeye was reminiscent of the earlier models, but now the exterior was made of molded plastic. The original Brownie Hawkeye was produced until November 1951, and its original list price was $5.50. The Brownie Hawkeye Flash Model was introduced in September 1950, and it remained in production until 1961.
Brownie 127
The Brownie 127 was placed on the market in 1952, and it was a huge success. The camera was manufactured in England by Kodak, Ltd. By August 1954, the English factory had manufactured one million Brownie 127 cameras. Over 250,000 were shipped to America between May 1953 and September 1954. It was such a popular brand that the line was brought back a few years after the original Brownie 127 had been discontinued.
Tags: Kodak Brownie, Beau Brownie, Brownie Hawkeye, Brownie Target, imitation leather, Mickey Mouse
