The Montgomery Ward department store chain, founded in Chicago in 1872, offered a diverse selection of photographic equipment under its own brand, “Wards.” Like other major department stores of the time, Wards sold cameras produced by renowned manufacturers and then distributed under its own name.
Wards’ product range was broad and included cameras for every budget and need. These included rebranded models from well-known brands such as Konica, Agilux, and Minolta. For example, the “Wards SLR 700” is a “Konica FP,” and the “Wards Econo 35” is a camera manufactured in England by Agilux. Models from Beauty and Walz were also sold under the Wards name.
The range ranged from simple rangefinder cameras like the Wards Econo 35, which featured a fixed focus and limited settings, ideal for beginners, to more sophisticated SLR cameras like the Wards SLR 700, which offered manual settings and interchangeable lenses.
Rangefinder cameras like the Wards am551, a renamed Konica Auto S2, were known for their high-quality workmanship and sharp lenses.
Wards cameras were sold primarily in the 1950s and 1960s. Starting around 1970, Montgomery Ward began increasingly offering the cameras under the original manufacturer’s name.
