In the postwar late 1940's there was a market surge for American made 35 mm cameras.
The firm known as Camera Company of America, however, had trouble holding its own against its big competitors, maybe because of the commercial failure of its Perfex line.
The Cee-ay 35 of 1949 was the company's dying attempt to hang on.
But the company failed nonetheless, and within a year or two, the design and production dies of this camera changed hands more than once.
With a few modifications, it morphed into the Ciro 35, in the hands of Ciro Camera Company of Delaware, Ohio.
Then very soon after, it reappeared as the Ciro 35 from Graflex, Inc., of Rochester, New York.

I consider the original version, the Cee-ay 35, to be rare today. The one example I have, serial number E00145, is only the second I have ever seen.
It is a recent acquisition, and I received it in poor condition. Some intensive repair work was needed.

Rangefinder is split image, focusing from 3 feet to infinity, with separate finder window.
Film transport has a wind lock, but no exposure lock for the shutter...
Alphax Synchro Matic shutter, with T, B, and 4 speeds from 1/150 to 1/25.
Lens is a three element Wollensak 50mm f/4.5 Anastigmat, hard coated.

The sun broke through the overcast on Sunday morning, so I took the camera, loaded with a roll of Konica Minolta Centuria 200 film, to Laumeier St. Louis County Sculpture Park in Sunset Hills, MO. I walked the park until the film ran out.

Remember, click on individual images to see enlarged.
All images are ©2008 E.J.Kowalski.