ICA Teddy

Produced by German manufacturer ICA between 1914 and 1922, the Teddy represents a significant early step in adapting 35mm motion picture film for still photography, predating the iconic Leica by several years. It utilized the 135 format, though in this instance the film was likely perforated movie stock loaded into simple cassettes or spools. The camera itself was characterized by a basic, often box-like construction, typically made from metal or early synthetics with minimal features, focusing purely on the novelty and convenience of using the smaller, more economical film format for snapshots. While not innovative in design or performance, the Teddy holds historical importance as one of the first commercially available still cameras to successfully exploit the 135 format, bridging the gap between cumbersome glass plates/roll film and the potential for miniature photography that would later be revolutionized. Its production spanned the tumultuous years of World War I and the early post-war era, reflecting ICA's role in the German camera industry before its eventual consolidation into Zeiss Ikon.