This was most probably my first camera, in 1964.
My sister discovered it this year while cleaning out cabinets in our family home in PA.

I do remember that my first camera was given to me by my parents, that is was a metal box camera, that the format was 6 x 9, that it had two selections for instant or time, and that it took excellent sharp images.
If this was the one, then it would be the camera that I used at the NYC World's fair in May of 1964, and it would be the one that I used in the Fall of that year, when I went away to school in Cassadaga, New York. And that it was replaced that Christmas with my Kodak Instamatic 100.

I like the solid construction of this Pho-Tak, all metal instead of the paper, cardboard, and wood of most Kodak box cameras. And I like the shutter release and finder design.

Lind's List says 1950 and that lens is f/11.
Shutter speeds are printed on front of camera, 1/50, and Time.

The stamped name inside is interesting... J. S. KOWALSKI can only be either my Grandfather (John) or my Dad's brother Joe.

I loaded it with a roll of Kodak 160 film and took it to the Pevely Flea Market, which is in its final month of operation before closing FOREVER.
Film was developed by Creve Coeur Camera, at their local lab. Negatives were scanned with my Epson Perfection 4490.
The light leaks almost certainly prove that this was indeed my first camera, they seem familiar enough, and were a big reason for replacing the camera with another one for use in 1964.

Please click on thumbnails to see enlarged.
All images are ©2011 E.J.Kowalski.