Help identifying a c-mount lens

[frerichs]

All, I recently picked up a 12.5mm f/1.9 c-mount lens that I haven't run across before.  It was made for the United States Projector & Electronics Corporation, probably late 50s early 60s.  It was made in Japan and the red logo/service mark on the barrel probably identifies the manufacturer.  

 

It appears as if the USP&EC had up to 19 subsidiaries including 99 Developments Corporation, University Sound Films, Inc., United Marketing Corp., Riley Finance Corp., and Builders of Communities.

 

From what I can tell, the listed subsidiaries above sold to Keystone Cameras & Pixalogs or Silver Star Cameras (1960).  

 

This lens was attached to a Keystone K56 Executive magazine camera.  Link to photo of the lens is at '' target='_blank'>>

 

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

Kenny

[frerichs]

Thyl over on the Digital Bolex forum tracked down the mark and it appears as if this lens was made by Asahi Pentax.  

[frerichs]

Additional information from Balazer on the Black Magic forum regarding this lens...

 

The "ICH" mark: 

"Effective September 1. 1967, ICHIZUKA OPTICAL CO., LTD. changes its name to COSMICAR OPTICAL CO., LTD."

It was a unit of Asahi Optical Co. I've seen Cosmicar-branded lenses carrying the ICH mark, and print advertising from Cosmicar with the ICH mark as late as 1969, so I'm not sure when the ICH mark was abandoned. Your lens looks older than any Cosmicar-branded lenses I've seen, though, so I'd bet it's from earlier than 1967. It looks like the Cosmicar name may have been used as early as 1961 or 1962, but I'm not sure I've ever seen any of those lenses. Ichizuka goes back at least as far as 1957; maybe 1951.