Historical Context

Produced from 1949 all the way to 1961, the Kodak Brownie Hawkeye is one of the most recognizable cameras of the 20th century. Designed by Arthur Hunt Crapsey (who also designed the Brownie Bullet), it is the quintessential American box camera of the 1950s.

Its distinct Art Deco styling—a black Bakelite body with horizontal ridges, paired with a bright silver faceplate and a grey winding knob—makes it a staple in antique stores and on collectors’ shelves everywhere.