KGB spy ring with camera - photo

[Altair]

KGB spy ring with camera.




Previously:

The Great Seal Bug - photos
Spy coin - photo

[Toolmaker51]

Neat item, though a bit cobbled looking. I'll bet the curved slot is film advance, lever on right the shutter. It would be tough to depress without obscuring lens, so that latch hook is tripped with finger nail. Tiny lens and focal plane, no focus mechanism or aperture, but cannot figure lever on left side.
Changing film would be a hoot!
Know little about spy's in general, that passed down by Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale. . .

[mklotz]

Neat item, though a bit cobbled looking. I'll bet the curved slot is film advance, lever on right the shutter. It would be tough to depress without obscuring lens, so that latch hook is tripped with finger nail. Tiny lens and focal plane, no focus mechanism or aperture, but cannot figure lever on left side.
Changing film would be a hoot!
Know little about spy's in general, that passed down by Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale. . .

Or, since it's meant to be used unobtrusively, any fingering operation would be too obvious, so...

Catch on right holds spring-loaded lid down. Press side of camera and lid springs open allowing spring-loaded shutter trigger on the left to spring out and trip shutter. Closing lid advances film or, as suggested, it's done manually with curved slot arm.

[Toolmaker51]

That's a better interpretation, imagined the lid would spring open and shut like a jewelry box. Have to use up all those levers somehow.
Clearly, more spycraft absorbed 1959-1964 by Mr. K, via Boris & Co., maybe advanced classes from Spy vs Spy in Mad magazine too?

Back story on Spy vs Spy, is far better than one might guess. . .

[neilbourjaily]

Spy vs Spy + Marginal Thinking, Boris and Natasha, George of the Jungle, Simon bar Sinister. We had it good.