10 replies to this topic

[Tom Graham]

What is the best evidence that Takahashi was the manufacturer or assembler for the Swifts with the “AVA” manufacturer’s mark (e.g., 831)?

 

Is this connection based exclusively on the optical quality and mechanical build similarities between these vintage Swift and early Takahashi telescopes? Or are there any more definitive manufacturing records or evidence to confirm this relationship?

[jimeh]

The Swifts used, at the very least, the same mechanical components as the early Takahashi TS-65s. They are interchangeable and identical in every way except for finishes. Optically, the relationship with Takahashi is assumed. Whether the optics are Tak or not doesn't change that they were top-notch.

 

With a gun at my head, I would say the whole kit and kaboodle was Tak, but that's a semi-educated guess

[Tom Graham]

Please continue to add here any documentation that exists on this…

 

I have no reason to doubt the connection (and certainly know how well the Swifts are regarded), I had just hoped to identify in one thread how well it had been documented.

 

I pose this question after reviewing “The Comprehensive List of Japanese Symbols” thread in this forum. 
 

I knew this would happen! Less than 5 minutes after posting this question, I discover Terra’s thread “My new old Swift #839 60mm x 810mm eq. refractor” from 2014, to which there are these replies:

 

”The AVA  [sic AMA*]  marking is Takahashi (some may like a better paper trail)… although not all Swifts of that era were necessarily made by Takahashi, the AVA [sic AMA*] marked ones were.  If you look at page 4 of the January 1983 issue of Sky & Telescope you will find an advertisement "Takahashi by Swift".  Pictured is a 125mm objective with both the Swift and Takahashi trademark on it.  Although it is not your telescope it does document the Takahashi/Swift connection.  The address given is:

 
Swift Instruments, Inc.
Takahashi Systems Div.
952 Dorchester Ave.
Boston, MA  02125
 
…  If you do a search on the Takahashi/Swift connection you will find a discussion in the CloudyNights forum.  It is my understanding that prior to Takahashi having a United States distributor (now Texas Nautical in Houston, TX), Swift imported the Takahashi brand (not sure if other importers brought them in).
 
Steve,
New Mexico}

[astro140 on CN]

 

followed by: 

 

*”A small correction if I may - it is AMA, not AVA (the M is intertwined with the A's). It stands for Associated Manufacturers' Agency, and is Takahashi's corporate body (directed by Takeshi Kunii at the moment)”
[LewisM on CN]

 

And, I’m headed off now to find what Hiroki Shirakawa (Galakuma here on CN) has said on this subject (and to see whether this Sky & Telescope advertisement is publicly available on the Internet. 

 

[RichA]

Swift never produced anything of note, unlike Takahashi.   They did make a field microscope.

[jragsdale]

Swift never produced anything of note, unlike Takahashi.   They did make a field microscope.

My Swift 831 would disagree with you. Yes, Swift went the way of Towa and progressively made cheaper and cheaper scopes until the brand dissolved, but the early 60s stuff by Swift were elegant and glorious examples of Japanese engineering and optical design.

 

Photos: https://www.amazon.c...82-3eba006befd1

Edited by jragsdale, 30 September 2024 - 09:47 AM.

[Kasmos]

”The AVA  [sic AMA*]  marking is Takahashi (some may like a better paper trail)… although not all Swifts of that era were necessarily made by Takahashi, the AVA [sic AMA*] marked ones were.  If you look at page 4 of the January 1983 issue of Sky & Telescope you will find an advertisement "Takahashi by Swift".  Pictured is a 125mm objective with both the Swift and Takahashi trademark on it.  Although it is not your telescope it does document the Takahashi/Swift connection.  The address given is:

 

And, I’m headed off now to find what Hiroki Shirakawa (Galakuma here on CN) has said on this subject (and to see whether this Sky & Telescope advertisement is publicly available on the Internet. 

the other day I was looking thru my old issues and noticed that ad. (I also believe it or similar ones ran in some other issues) I'll try to get a photo of it.

Edited by Kasmos, 29 September 2024 - 11:57 PM.

[Garyth64]

In the Swift manual, that came with Swift telescopes in the early 60's, it says that Dr. Shusuke Kojima designed the Swift telescopes.

 

A few years ago this was posted here on CN:

 

 

I believe a thread like this has already been done before, and if so, I'd like to see it all again.

[m0bius]

S&T - Jan 1984, pg4:

 

 

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[Tom Graham]

S&T - Jan 1984, pg4:

This image shown immediately above from the Sky & Telescope ad from January 1983 (p. 4) is also interesting to me because it shows the objective lens cell as having both the Swift logo and the Takahashi Triangle TS logo. Did the actual telescopes also have the Takahashi logo on the lens cell or is this simply an artist’s rendering?

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Edited by Tom Graham, 30 September 2024 - 08:25 PM.

[Garyth64]

the logos above are on the lens cell.

 

The older Swift scopes, like my 831, just had the Swift logo.   

 

[flywing1]

more information from aoirotukiko

 

https://www.cloudyni...ion/?p=11338101