The results of the Westlicht “100 Years of Leica” special auction are now available online.
Here are some of the top priced Leica items:
With a result of 576,000 Euros a Leica 250 GG with Leica-Motor from 1941 (starting price 120,000 Euros) emerged as the top lot. The Leica 250 was also known as Leica “Reporter” and could be used for 250 exposures without reloading. Only very few cameras were equipped with an electric motor drive MOOEV and used for aerial reconnaissance by German warplanes. Most of the motor drives were lost.
A Leica MP Black Paint from 1957 (starting price 140,000 Euros) achieved the auction’s second highest result of 408,000 Euros. This MP is the only serial model which has an individual number, differing fundamentally from the usual fabrication numbers of all other Leica cameras.
All of the 100 camera lots were sold, many finished with a result far above the estimate. Among further highlights of the auction was the E. Leitz New York Leica Gun Rifle from 1937. From a starting price of 120,000 Euros the lot climbed to a winning bid of 360,000 Euros. A Leica M3 Prototype from 1953 caused a thrilling bidding war, finally won by a collector who acquired the rare pre-series camera for 288,000 Euros. A Leica IIIc Rundbildkamera E2, which had started at 50,000 Euros was sold for 240,000 Euros. A similar rise was realized by a Leica M3 Chrome from 1954, which climbed from 8,000 Euros to a result of 84,000 Euros.