What's with these "Passed" stickers?

[leicaglow]

<p>I got a kick out of my "new" Holga. Made in China, it had TWO! gold oval stickers. The stickers didn't give me any more comfort that the Holga was going to work for an extended period of time before breaking.</p>

[ridinhome]

<blockquote>

<p>The governments made the manufacturers stop putting these stickers on cameras years ago because the glue is a powerful psychedelic similar to LSD. Photographers were licking the glue off and experiencing an altered reality, leading to hallucinations and strong cravings for little tiny cameras with slow zooms and tiny sensors. My cat licked the label off a Canon AE-1 and has never been the same since. Now all she does is eat, sleep, and crowd us out of the bed at night. Come to think of it, maybe that's all she ever did. Never mind.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This made me laugh out loud, especially since my roommates schizophrenic cat was nuzzling up to me at the time. Thank you!</p>

[robert_marvin]

<p>My first "good"camera, an Olympus 35S, that my father bought for me in 1957, had a JCII paper tag, attached with a string. Yes, I took it off.</p>

[peter_naylor1]

<p>Marc, I'm not sure when it finished but I reckon it must have kicked off around 1958. Just like Robert's 1957 Olympus with the paper tag attached via a piece of good ol' fashioned string, I have a 1957 Miranda Model A that came complete with its original display box. While ferreting around in the bottom section, I found an oval JCII tag as per pic attached showing it at bottom right.</p>

<p>However, I'm pretty sure my Miranda Automex 1 of 1959 vintage came with an oval sticker stuck to its bodywork. Although the camera was in excellent nick the sticker wasn't, so being a stickler for removing worn stickers, it just had to go ....</p>

<p>One other point of interest about the way the JCII reputedly went around things, QC-wise. They didn't have the manpower resources to inspect every camera and every lens, so they did a random sample on just a few out of every batch. If each came up to scratch, then the factory was permitted to stick a 'Passed' sticker on the rest of the batch. The few that had been physically inspected got a different oval sticker marked 'Inspected'. These are naturally quite rare. The only one I've seen is on the Nikkor F3.5 28mm that came with my Nikkormat FTn, and although the sticker is a bit faded now I don't intend to remove it.</p>

<p>(Pete In A Summery Perth)</p><div></div>

[ridinhome]

<p>Just to add some color to the discussion about when it ended - my T90 has the sticker. Not sure which year it was made but has to have been either 1986 or 87.</p>

[Ian Rance]

<p>They stopped putting them on items in 1992 if my memory serves me.</p>

[michael_dimarzio]

<p>My Leica doesn't have a passed sticker, should I send it back?</p>

<p>Back in the day when J cameras were being sold with the stickers, it was awesome to see people in horror if you peeled the sticker off their new camera. I could never figure that out.</p>

[bob_miller4]

<p>WARNING</p>

<p>People don't always realize that putting the sticker on improved all camera (or lens) functions. Removal could send these functions back to their original state.</p>

[ridinhome]

<blockquote>

 

<p>WARNING<br>

People don't always realize that putting the sticker on improved all camera (or lens) functions. Removal could send these functions back to their original state.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>However, I was told that if I use a camera whose name ends in "..eica" or "...asselblad" I would immediately be transformed into the next Ansel Adams? You telling me that doesn't work?</p>

[jim_leicafan]

<p>How many of you recall the story that the Japanese renamed one of their towns to the name of Usa?</p>

<p>That way they could mark on the the product the logo "Made in USA".</p>

[alex macphee]

<p>An amusing story, but unfortunately it's not true. Usa in Japan has existed far longer than the USA. I remember a news item many years ago about a village in Japan being renamed 'Scotland' so that Japanese whisky could be labelled 'Made in Scotland', but that too might be sheer myth. You'd have to admire the sheer cheek, however, if it were true!</p>

 

[steve m smith]

<blockquote>

<p>That way they could mark on the the product the logo "Made in USA".</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Why would they want to do that?</p>

[unangelino]

<p>Just a reality check on removing tags from mattresses, etc.</p>

<p >Let's read an actual one carefully, shall we?</p>

<p > </p>

<p >"50910180K C UNDER PENALTY OF LAW THIS TAG NO TO BE REMOVED EXCEPT BY THE <em><strong>CONSUMER</strong> </em></p>

<p >--------------</p>

<p >ALL NEW MATERIAL CONSISTING OF POLYESTER FIBER</p>

<p >--------------</p>

<p >REGISTRY NO. PA-23841 (KY)</p>

<p >--------------</p>

<p >Certification is made by the manufacturer that the materials in this article are described in accordance with the law."</p>

<p > </p>

<p ><strong>Bold</strong> was added by me.</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Please rip off tags without fear of <strong><em>prosecution</em> </strong> or <strong><em>persecution</em> </strong> .</p>

<p > </p>

<p >Be brave...do not live in fear. : )</p>

[tomscott]

<p>Paul, I'm pretty sure Stuart was joking when he said:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Removal of the sticker reduces the eBay value of the camera or lens by at least 50%. It is also highly illegal (same as removing those tags that come on mattresses and sofa cushions).</p>

</blockquote>

<p>The really funny part of it is how many people took it seriously. I find it a little hard to believe that there are grown up type people who still believe it is illegal to pull the tag off of a mattress.</p>

[sw12dz]

<p>Tom,</p>

<p>There are those among us who throw all caution to the wind. They remove those tags and stickers without giving it a second thought because they enjoy living life on the edge and pushing the envelope to the extremes.</p>

<p>I too, am amazed at the number of people who actually take me seriously. It's probably why I was so successful as a used car salesman and later on, as a politician.</p>

[tomscott]

<p>Have you ever considered giving stand-up comedy a try? I quess when you get down to it stand-up and politics are pretty similar though.</p>

[alex macphee]

<p>I wouldn't buy one of your used cars. Not unless it had a yellow sticker on it. I'm not stupid.</p>

<p> </p>

[sw12dz]

<p>Marc,</p>

<p>Thank you for an excellent post. It's a subject that hasn't been covered before as far as I know. I am amazed at the number of replies. I have seen the stickers on cameras and lenses over the years, but really never gave it much thought.</p>

<p>As for the removal of stickers and/or mattress tags, I was just havin' a go at ya! I think you Yanks call it "pulling your leg"!</p>

<p>Regards from Australia</p>