Introduced in 1939, the Argus C3 was arguably the first affordable 35mm rangefinder. Its metal and Bakelite body featured separate RF and viewfinder windows, shutter speeds to 1/300, and interchangeable lenses. Known as ‘the Brick’ for both its shape and weight, it would continue in production until 1966.
My example was a $3.33 eBay find. It’s not serialized, so I really don’t know when it was made. Argus made thousands of them, so your chances of finding one in a thrift shop or antique store are pretty good. (Don’t pay too much though. Argus made thousands of them.)
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Results here.
Notes from Mosquito Hill 