Ciro Camera Company - Delaware, Ohio
Posted by: 
Mr. 0
N 40° 17.165 W 083° 04.147
17T E 324113 N 4461564
A photo then and now of the Crio Camera company which used to make cameras just south of downtown Delaware Ohio.
Waymark Code: WM1KCM
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 05/26/2007
Views: 109
The Ciro company produced several models of cameras during the 1940's and 1950's. It originally started in Detroit, Michigan, and moved to Delaware, Ohio sometime around 1947. Eventually the company was bought out by Graflex, and operations were moved to Rochester, New York.
While the company was at this location in Delaware, Ohio they produced several models of Twin Lens Reflex cameras (Models A-F, with F being the most advanced) known as the Ciro-Flex. They also made a 35mm camera known as the Ciro-35.
The "then" picture is taken from a small booklet which came with new Ciro-Flex cameras showing how they were built. On the first page was a picture of the factory, which was built new by Ciro. The booklet that I have came with a Ciro-Flex I found on E-bay which also included a letter dated Feb. 14, 1949 sent from Ciro to the original owner of the camera in response to a question that owner had written in about. I assume that the camera must have been purchased in very early 1949, or late 1948, so for the picture to be in a booklet included with that camera the picture had to have been taken prior to 1949.
The "now" picture was taken from across the street at Oak Grove Cemetery, as it must have been in the "then" picture. There have been several new trees that have grown up, and it looks like the building has had some additions, but you can still make out the original part of the building. Also note that the small tree standing to the left of the entrance of the "then" picture is still there, although much larger today, but the large tree on the right is gone. The front doors in the "then" picture are also on a part of the building that sticks out further than the rest of the building. Now the recessed portions of the building have been added on to, and stick out further than the door area.