Mos6502
Well-known
Here's something I've been curious about for a very long time. Many years ago I bought an early Rolleicord with an unusual focus knob. It has what I believe are Chinese characters reading Made in Germany (roughly), although there is a possibility this is also antiquated pre-war Japanese. Recently I purchased a Zeiss Ikon Nettar camera with this plate attached to it, but oddly here the character are in reversed order. Has anybody seen such a thing before? I would love to know more about this, if anybody know what exactly this is. I'm presuming these cameras were sold in China, but perhaps Japan is also a possibility. See attached photo. 
Duofold RF
Well-known
Germany exported cameras special for Chinese market before or during WWII. These cameras were for Chinese market, nothing to do with Japanese market.
Mos6502
Well-known
Do you know if such plates would have been affixed by the manufacturers? Or was that left for the importers or the camera shops selling them to do?
Vince Lupo
Untitled
According to ol’ Google translate, the plate says Germany System. It couldn’t recognize the text on the focus knob.
Duofold RF
Well-known
I have no idea, the rolleicord knob could be authorized dealer’s special ordered for Chinese market, the Chinese characters mean “ Made in Germany” the Zeiss Ikonta plate also mean Made in Germany. In old fashion the Chinese letters write from right to left, in modern day, the letters write from left to right like English. So the Zeiss Ikonta is a later camera than the rolleicord.
But I do think both cameras have historical value than the regular one
Duofold RF
Well-known
There are more those kind of label
Taipei-metro
Mentor
Because in today's Simplify Chinese, they 'shorten' the Traditional '製' (made) to '制' (system, made (after 1949))
徳國製 is German Made, in Traditional Chinese, newer left to right writing way is to be 'comparable' with English writing, If the text is in lines vertically, it still right to left...
徳 was shorten from 徳意志 Deutsche, 國 means Country
Tin
Well-known
Google Translate is totally wrong here. "Made in Germany" is the correct translation, as pointed out by others.
Tin
Well-known
from what I can see, you've gotten a rare bird in the first photo. The inscription says "Manchoukuo", which means "The Country of Manchu", and which was the so called "country" set up by the Japanese who had invaded the provinces in Northern China right before the Second World War officially began.
Tin
Well-known
The Ikonta is not necessarily a later camera than the Rolleicord, as the direction where Chinese characters are written are often used interchangeably. Of course, your explanation that in old Chinese, characters were written from right to left; and the other way round in modern times. But both conventions still co-exist today, depending on the situation and the format of the document being written.
Tin
Well-known
You must have gotten a typo mistake on the last line. It should be "Country", not "County".
Duofold RF
Well-known
Duofold RF
Well-known
dexdog
Mentor
I have seen a Wikipedia entry that says that Germany was one of the small number of countries that officially recognized Manchoukuo, so it makes sense that German companies would mark products specifically for that country. Yeah, I know that wikipedia is not necessarily reliable, but have not seen other online docs that suggest otherwise. I have a 1936 Contax II marked "For Manchoukuo", similar to the Ikonta shown above. I have also seen Contax II cameras with a "For China" engraving.