Berkey Photo

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Berkey Photo was an American photographic equipment distributor and photo developer that operated from 1932, when it was founded by Benjamin Berkey, until 1988, when it declared bankruptcy. Brands distributed by Berkey include Gossen, Keystone, Konica, Omega, Rodenstock, and Slik.

Corporate history[edit]

Benjamin Berkey emigrated to the United States from Ukraine in 1911, and shortly after graduating from City College in 1932, purchased a 50% stake in a photographic studio in the Lower East Side of New York by taking a loan of US$300 (equivalent to $6,700 in 2023) from his mother.[1]

Berkey Photo provided mainly black-and-white film processing and printing services, as the color photography market was dominated by Eastman Kodak, which sold its color film bundled with pre-paid processing to access its proprietary photofinishing services. In 1954, an antitrust consent decree barred Kodak from tying color film and processing together at the point of sale, allowing competitors into the market for color film processing.[2][3] With the appropriate licenses from Kodak, Berkey Photo began processing color film in 1956 and eventually became its largest competitor.[4] By 1979, Berkey was processing more 126 and 110 film than Kodak.[5] However, Berkey felt that Kodak's dominance in selling film, print paper, and cameras still gave it a virtual monopoly in violation of the Sherman Act, and he filed suit in 1973,[6] winning an $87 million judgment for treble damages in 1978. Kodak appealed, and the award was reversed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1979,[5] which marked a new precedent in the awarding of damages for antitrust suits.[7]

After the lawsuit, Berkey sold off several divisions, including graphic arts, to Pako, and professional lighting (Colortran) to Forward Technology Industries, both in 1981.[8][9] Founder Benjamin Berkey retired in 1982 and died in 1984, aged 73. At the time, Berkey Photo also included a large retail store in Manhattan: Willoughby and Peerless Camera.[1] In July 1988, Berkey filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in federal bankruptcy court. Jac Holzman, who was the company's largest shareholder, said, "What was behind [the bankruptcy filing] was an accumulation of...ten years of corporate mismanagement".[10]

Brands[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Ennis, Thomas W. (December 19, 1984). "Benjamin Berkey dies at 73; founder of photo company". The New York Times. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. ^ Beckett, Samantha (June 23, 2014). "On Remand: Kodak Moments in the Courtroom". Above the Law. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  3. ^ United States v. Eastman Kodak Co., 853 F.Supp 1454 (W.D.N.Y. May 20, 1994).
  4. ^ Hartman, Curtis (December 1987). "Photo Opportunity: How Steve Bostic stitched together 10 regional film processors into a $78-million national powerhouse". Inc. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Berkey Photo, Inc. v. Eastman Kodak Company, 603 F.2d 263 (2d Cir. June 25, 1979).
  6. ^ "Antitrust Scrutiny of Monopolists' Innovations: Berkey Photo, Inc. v. Eastman Kodak Co". Harvard Law Review. 93 (2): 408–418. December 1979. doi:10.2307/1340383. JSTOR 1340383.
  7. ^ Gray, Patricia D. (January 1981). "Antitrust Damages for a Monopolist's Customers After Berkey Photo, Inc. v. Eastman Kodak Co". Washington University Law Quarterly. 59 (1): 173–198.
  8. ^ "Berkey Photo Inc., a film processor, said Thursday it has completed the sale of substantially all of the assets of its graphic arts business to Pako Corp". UPI Archives. May 14, 1981. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  9. ^ "Berkey Photo, Inc., has agreed to sell its Colortran division". UPI Archives. October 1, 1981. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  10. ^ "Berkey files reorganization plan". UPI Archives. July 20, 1988. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  11. ^ "Confidential Dealer Price List" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library. Gossen, division of Berkey Marketing Companies, Inc. July 1, 1981. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  12. ^ "Confidential Dealer Price List" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library. Konica Camera Corporation, division of Berkey Marketing Companies, Inc. July 1967. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  13. ^ "Confidential Dealer Price List: Nimslo 35mm 3-Dimensional Camera System" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library. Nimslo, division of Berkey Marketing Companies, Inc. June 1983. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  14. ^ "We interrupt this camera to show you the quiet revolution in infinite exposure control (Olympus 35-LE advertisement)". flickr. Scopus, Inc., a Berkey Photo Company. 1966. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "Confidential Dealer Price List (Omega enlargers)" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library. Omega, division of Berkey Marketing Companies, Inc. June 1983. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  16. ^ "Confidential Dealer Price List (Rapid Omega cameras)" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library. Omega, division of Berkey Marketing Companies, Inc. June 1983. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  17. ^ "Confidential Dealer Price List" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library. Rodenstock, division of Berkey Marketing Companies, Inc. June 1, 1979. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  18. ^ "Confidential Dealer Price List: Rollei" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library. Rollei, division of Berkey Marketing Companies, Inc. June 1983. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  19. ^ "Omega View / Toyo 45D" (PDF). Pacific Rim Camera, Reference Library. Omega View / Toyo, division of Berkey Marketing Companies, Inc. June 1983. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
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