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Although the name Iloca is almost completely forgotten nowadays, in the 1950s it was probably the brand that was most commonly sold as rebranded cameras, i.e., under other names, often by large retailers. Thus, nearly every Iloca camera in the Quick and Rapid ranges can be found under a different name, some models even under multiple names. Most of these were in North America, notably Tower, Photrix, Realist and Argus.
Frequently there were small modefications to the cameras, presumably requested by the brands selling the cameras. These changes included instructions at the bottom and the inside of the camera, rebranded lenses or small mechanical changes such as the back release mechanism and wind mechanism, as well as cosmetic changes such as the front plate.
A selection of rebranded Iloca cameras, each representing a different model, and roughly in chronological order from front to back and left to right. Front row: Quick v.1, Quick-A, Quick v.2, Quick v4; middle row: modified Quick B, Rapid, modified Rapid-B, Rapid-B; back row: Quick-B, Rapid-B2, Rapid II, Rapid IIL.
Tower
Tower cameras were sold by Sears, a large American department store and mailorder company. Their rebranded Ilocas were quite obvious due to the modified front plates which included the Tower logo. The line-up also contained some models that had no direct Iloca equivalent. Some models also lacked the typical Iloca back release mechanism (which worked by pulling up the rewind knob as far as possible and then twisting it), requiring the back to be pulled off by hand instead. It's unclear if this was a cost reduction method or an attempt to make the camera simpler to handle. Finally, Tower generally included instructions for loading film and shutter setting at the bottom of the camera as well as inside the film chamber.
A Tower 50, a rebranded early Iloca Quick. Tower variants of Ilocas were somewhat let down by the rather ugly bespoke Tower front plate.
Tower had a long list of rebranded cameras and Iloca was assigned nrs. 50 (viewfinder model) and 51 (rangefinder model). This were later followed by the 52 model (rangefinder with Rapid II body), and there was also a stereo model (Tower 83). Apparetnly a nr. 53 also exists although I've never seen one with that actual number (typically indicated on the bottom of the camera). Slightly different models were sold under the same number, so several different Tower 30 and 51s can be found. Like the Iloca originals, each model could aslo be found with a range of lenses, so a large amount of different Tower Ilocas can be found. For example, I have 7 different models plus another 7 lens variants. There are undoubtely more.
Serial numbers generally overlap with Iloca numbers so getting production estimates is nearly impossible. Tower models generally had productions quarter and year indicators, which only became standard on regular Iloca models later. My earliest Tower is from the first quarter of 1954, my last from second quarter in 1958.
And here's a late Tower 51, a rebranded Iloca Rapid-II. Thankfully there were no customisable front plates on these later Ilocas.
Interestingly, there are one or two Tower models that don't have a direct Iloca equivalent, so they appear to have been made for Tower specifically. One is an Iloca Rapid, but it has the viewfinder in the middle of the top plate with the accessory shoe mounted on top, like an Iloca Quick. Interestingly, it turns out there was an Iloca-branded version of this model, but it's very rare and the serial number suggests it was made after other Rapid models, and therefore not a very early Rapid as a transition from the Iloca Quick, as I originally thought. So, it appears that Iloca thought, while we're making these for Tower we may as well sell some ourselves back home.
Perhaps the same process let in fact to the Iloca Quick v. 4, which is an oddity because of the presence of a wind lever, but different from the one on the early Rapid models. There are, however, several Tower models with this windlever, one identical to the Quick v.4, another one essentially a modified Quick-B rangefinder. The latter was also sold as Photrix B (see below).
Photrix
After Tower, Photrix had the largest range of rebranded Iloca models, but remarkably little is known about it. It appears the brand only featured cameras made by Iloca, unlike Tower, which had a large range of cameras from different camera manufacturers in their line-up. Advertisements are rare, although I have seen a Photrix Rapid-B and a Stereo model in a Wards catalogue. However, the brand must also have been sold in Europe, and, rather peculiarly, produced occasionally outside Germany, as some Photrix cameras have 'Made in Holland' engraved. So I am assuming that Photrix was a camera distributor, but precious little info is available.
Although most Photrix models were pretty much identical to their Iloca equivalents, a Photrix B was available which was essentially a Quick-B but with Quick v.4 wind lever. The same model was also available as Tower 51, although with different front trim.
See also further below under 'Richard' to see an early Photrix (rebranded Quick). Most Iloca rangefinders without lightmeters can be found as Photrix variants.
A Photrix B, one of the few Photrix Ilocas that differed from the Iloca original (the Rapid-B). In this case, the positions of the windlever and rewind knob were swapped, and the windlever was modified. This also required some modifications to the top housing. In addition, the front plate is also different, it's the one of an Iloca Quick v. 4. Interestingly, a Photrix rebranded Rapid-B that was identical to the Iloca original (apart from a modified front plate) was also available.
A Photrix rebranded Iloca Rapid-II. It looks pretty much like the original, but the unusual part is at the back, where one can find engraved 'Made in Holland'. I can find no information where in Holland this camera would have been build, by whom, or why.
Realist 35
Realist appears to have been the camera arm of the David White company, a company for surveyng equipment. They sold two rebranded regular Iloca camera models, the Realist 35A (Iloca Rapid) and the Realist 35B (Rapid-B). They were identical to the Iloca originals, including the trim.
Realist was better known for their stereo cameras. One of these were also a rebranded Iloca, the Stereograms 3.5 (Realist 45), but their most well-known model, the Stereo Realist also known as the 'David White' model, was not.
A Realist 35A and B side by site, as well as an original box. The 35A shown here has a Vero shutter, but a Prontor-SVS version can also be found.
Reporter
Reporter was the brand name used for cameras sold through the popular chain of Kaufhof department stores in Germany, and therefore models from many different camera brands can be found with that name. This included several Iloca models, two of which are shown here. They are a rebranded Iloca Quick v.2 and a Quick v.4. They appear to be identical to the originals other than the brand name. The Quick v.2 also has the name Reporter on the lens (instead of Iloca Illitar).
Two different Iloca Quick variants rebranded as Reporter.
Others (Richard, Atlantic, Argus)
Several other rebranded Ilocas can be found. The Argus V100 was already discussed on the Iloca Rapid page. Richard was a Swiss camera distributor, and several Photrix models with 'Richard' as an extra label have been found.
A very rare model is the 'Atlantic', which is an Iloca Rapid-B, but has the name Atlantic engraved on the front instead of the Iloca logo. An Iloca Rapid with the same Atlantic logo has also been found, as well as several other German cameras. Apparently they were sold by a long gone mailorder company with the name Atlantic in Stockholm, Sweden.
An unusual case of double rebranding: a rebranded Iloca with an extra, different brand name... a Photrix with the name 'Richard' marked on the lens.
An Iloca Rapid-B with the extra brand name 'Atlantic' engraved at the front.
The Argus V100 was already discussed on the Iloca Rapid page, but it's hard not to showcase this beauty, here with a marvelous f/2 Cintagon lens. The best camera Iloca ever made?
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