Leica connoisseurs thrill at the chase, at discovering something new, at obtaining that perfect item to complete their system or collection. Behind Leica and other fine cameras there is a wealth of history.
The Connoisseurs Corner items are collectible and not necessarily warranteed. Older cameras might have shutter speeds and/or light meters that might need adjusting, and lenses and other optical items might require lubrication and/or cleaning.
The thrill of the chase begins (or perhaps ends) here...
Leica MP Black Enamel Nr. 50 with Leicavit rapid winder, also finished in Black Enamel, with 50mm Elmar f3,5 Nr. 1141153.
This remarkable camera set came out of 50 years of storage, untouched. The camera set is working and exceptionally clean and completely authentic and original. Delivered in July 1957 to a New York dealer, this camera set sat in a vault, and only now makes its 21st Century debut. Made for professional photographers in very small numbers, the Leica MP cameras in black enamel finish number perhaps 150, and are exceedingly rare, especially in this condition. Mainly used as intended, many MP cameras - both silver and black - are worn and tattered.
A magnificent example of the famous Leica MP camera, offered once in a lifetime. Excellent ++
The Niko-Mar IV Underwater Housing set with the very rare Nikon FEA camera and motor drive, Sekonic meter and 18mm Nikkor f3,5 lens. This Niko-Mar IV underwater housing is one of only 50 pieces ever made in 1979, and these housings were delivered only to National Geographic along with the Nikon FEA camera. All Excellent +
The Hegelein Watch Camera, Nr. 381891 (81891). Also known as “Anthony’s Watch Camera,” this is the fourth known example in the world. Patented in 1894, New Yorker John C. Hegelein designed this subminiature pocket watch camera to take removable wooden plate holders for single-exposure film. The watch casing measures 2 ¼-inches in diameter, making it slightly larger than earlier examples. The front ring engraving around the meniscus lens reads, “THE WATCH CAMERA PAT’D AUG. 7. 1884 JOHN C. HEGELEIN. N.Y.”
A fascinating and ultra-rare piece of photographic – and American – history.
Leitz Canada 65mm Elcan f0,75 process lens in E37 thread, Nr. 252-1096. Engraved "Picker X-Ray Corp." Made in Canada in the early 1970s. Rare. Excellent ++
SOM Berthiot 28mm Angulor f3,3 Nr. 1074040 in Leica screw mount, with front cap. A very rare lens. Excellent +
33mm Stereo Stemar f3,3 Nr. 1124335 with Stemar Prism Nr.1396 OIMPO, 33mm Bright-Line Finder OIDYO, lens shade OIGEO, M-adapter and caps in the original box. Included also is the rare instruction sheet and Stemar brochure. A beautiful complete stereo set from 1954. Excellent +
50mm Summilux f1,4 Nr. 1703811 in original black enamel finish with XIOOM lens shade and UVa filter. A stunning example. Excellent +
Early Leitz coin-purse with "R" red 50mm Elmar filter. Condition: Excellent +
OROLF Screw Mount Lens Turret. Made in 1960, this is one of perhaps 250 ever made. Very rare. Near Mint.
Leica R3 Oskar Barnack Centenary set Nr. 1524001 with 50mm Summilux-R f1,4 Nr. 2932232 "100-101" in the original set box, with wooden presentation box, strap, caps, UR-Leica lapel pin, Leica paper hang-tag, Guarantee Cards, Certificate of Authenticity with special serial number 100-0101. The set is finished in 24-carat gold with lizard skin covering. A stunning set. Excellent ++
Leica IIIc Nr. 390772K Grey. Faint "K" still visible on the shutter. Converted by the Leica factory with IIIf Red Dial and flash synchronization features. Excellent
Leica M3 "Attrappe" Nr. 12076A with 50mm Collapsible Summicron f2 Attrappe (no serial number). After the German word for "dummy," an Attrappe was made as a window display unit, and had no interior mechanisms. This set was owned by Al Clarke, one of the founders of the Leica Historical Society of America, who gleefully used this camera to prank other LHSA members. Good
Two Leica M4 Black Chrome cameras, made in Canada and consecutively numbered: Nr. 1382444 and Nr. 1382445. Complete in their original boxes. It is difficult enough to find one camera like this, let alone two with consecutive serial numbers. Mint
Leica M4 Wetzlar in Black Chrome finish, Nr. 1381109 in its box with instruction booklet, Import Certificate and Owner's Registry Card. It even includes the original self-addressed and stamped envelope for returning the registry card to the E. Leitz, Inc. Rockleigh, New Jersey headquarters. Mint
Leica M4 KE-7A, Nr. 1294811, freshly CLA'd and ready to shoot! Very rare. Excellent ++
Leica M4 Black Chrome Nr. 1380216. Made in Wetzlar in 1974, the Leica M4 was the first Leica M model to be regularly produced in the new "black chrome" finish. This camera still bears the factory "L" seal, and is complete in its original box with instruction booklet, Import Certificate and Owner's Registry Card. Includes the bill of sale from the renowned Alfredo's Camera of New Orleans, dated May 11, 1974. Shutter not working. Mint
Leica M6 TTL .85 Silver Chrome Nr. 2496291 with box. Excellent +
Zeiss 85mm Sonnar f2 "ZM" (Leica M Mount), Nr. 155xxxxx, with lens shade, caps and one-year warranty! Excellent++
Leica II Nr. 84536 with nickel fittings. Excellent
Leica IIIf Red Dial Self-Timer Nr. 790686. The camera's top plate engraving is in all capital letters. A small chip of vulcanite is missing on the front of the camera. Excellent ++
Leica If Red Dial Nr. 815778, recently serviced and recovered in modern vulcanite. The Leica If is a version of the Leica IIIf without a viewfinder, rangefinder or slow speeds. It was made by Leitz for special use, such as scientific photography, wide-angle photography, or tele photography with a reflex housing. It has two accessory shoes, allowing the use of a viewfinder and an auxiliary rangefinder at the same time. Excellent ++
Steinheil 35mm Orthostigmat f4,5 VL Nr. 654161 with rear cap. A rare uncoated lens. Excellent
90mm Summicron f2 Canada, Nr. 1651497, in original Leica screw mount, with caps and UVa filter. A very rare and early 90mm Summicron lens made in 1959, it is one of less than 500 ever produced in screw mount. Excellent ++
105mm "Mountain" Elmar f6,3 Nr. 162249, complete with lens shade and caps. Excellent
105mm "Mountain" Elmar f6,3 Nr. 162822, complete with lens shade and caps. Made from 1932 to 1937, in less than 4,000 examples, it's use was very specialist. Also known as 'Berg' meaning mountain, this lens was designed to be lightweight for climbers. Excellent.
21 Super-Angulon-R f3,4 Nr. 2056107, complete with original lens shade and both caps. About 1,500 were made by Schneider-Kreuznach for the Leica SLR cameras. Recently serviced. Excellent ++
A rare and very clean display Leicaflex SL camera, commonly called an attrappe, after the German term. Made for Leica dealers to display, the camera has no interior mechanisms. Very rare. Excellent ++.
MR-Meter Black Enamel Nr. 37552, with original box. Astonishingly clean. Near Mint
MR-4 Meter Black Enamel Nr. 27892. Good
Long Base Range Finder FOFER, marked in Feet. Calibrated for the Nagel Pupille lenses, and engraved "N." Very Good
Long Base Range-finder FODIS marked in Feet, with case. Rangefinder wndow is broken. Good
Long Base Range Finder FOFER in original "Central Camera, Co." paper box. One front window has a crack. Excellent +
Long Base Range Finder FOFER, marked in Feet. Excellent
Long Base Range Finder FONOR in all black enamel, marked in Feet. Made for 6x9 to 10x15 cameras, this range finder is engraved '+3/4 Feet.' Excellent +
VIDOM universal viewfinder in black and chrome finish, marked for 3,5cm 5cm 7,3cm 9cm 10,5cm and 13,5cm. Excellent
2,8cm Bright-Line View Finder SLOOZ in Chrome finish, in its original box. Excellent
2,8cm Bright-Line View Finder SLOOZ in Chrome finish, in its original box. Excellent +
Polarizer POORE, for the 50mm Summitar lens, with case. Excellent +
Exakta VXIIa, Nr. 852476 with Schneider-Kreuznack 50mm Xenon f1,9 Nr. 5700071, in Ever-Ready case. With Exakta waist level finder in its case and spare split-image focus screen. Camera engraved “U.S.S.R. Occupied” and the case marked “Made in Germany (East)” Excellent ++
Russar Russian-made turret View Finder, Nr. 222048 in plastic fitted case. Engraved "2,8cm, 3,5cm, 5cm, 8,5cm, 13,5cm". Excellent
Zeiss Super Ikonta 533/16 Folding Camera, Nr. S17825 with 80mm Tessar f2,8. Meter is unreponsive but otherwise in fine condition. Excellent ++
Zeiss Ikon Tenax I Nr. J78794 with Compur Shutter and 35mm Novar-Anastigmat f3,5 in original case. The shutter is sticky. Very Good
Zeiss Jena 90cm Apo-Tessar f9 Large Format "Barrel" Lens Nr. 2183221, Engraved "R 145". Originally designed in 1928, this lens is a very early example, likely made prior to 1947. Perhaps as many as 300 were made. The optics have some debris and possible signs of separation. Good
Zeiss Turret Universal View Finder, Nr. 440, engraved "Stuttgart" and featuring 25mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 135mm settings and extendable eyepiece. Marked in Meters. Excellent +
Franke & Heidecke Heidoscope Stero Camera Nr. 15704. Some overpainting. Very Good
Franke & Heidecke Heidoscope Stereo Camera Nr. 16836 with dual Zeiss 75mm Tessar f4,2 lenses. A gorgeous - and rare - early stereo camera. Excellent +
Nikon F Nr. 7175412 in black enameland F-250 Motor Drive. The film pressure plate is broken on motor, foam sealing is deteriorated, and locking mechanism is bent but working. Good.
Noblex Pro 6/150 UX Superwide Panoramic Camera set Nr. 004402. Complete in box. Excellent +
Rolleicord I (Type 1) Nr. 002528 "Art Deco". Working with slight haze in lenses. Missing screw from front nickel plate with some overpaint. Excellent ++
Canon 50mm Canon Lens f0,95 Nr. 26754 converted to Leica M mount. Small dent on front assembly. Does not affect filter use. Excellent +
The DayPlate Camera, circa, 1898. No serial number. With placard on camera front reading "THE DAYPLATE PAT. SEP. 6.98.GASSNER & MARX CAMERA CO. ROCHESTER, N.Y." This is an exciting peice of photographic - and American - history. Very Good