The 42 Leitz Photographica Auction is coming to Wetzlar on June 9-10, 2023. The camera auction will offer some rare cameras, including the prototypes of the Leica CL and cameras used by legendary photographers: Leica M3 by John Bulmer and two Leicas by Walker Evans.
Here are some of the Leica highlights from the auction:
LEICA 250 GG REPORTER + LEICA-MOTOR MOOEV
Condition: B/A
Year: 1948
Serial No.: 353739
Estimate: € 300.000 – 350.000
Starting price: € 150.000
In 1936, Leitz introduced a Leica camera for 10 meters of the film – the Leica 250 or the ‘Reporter’. As the designation shows, 250 shots (full 35mm format) could be made without film change. To achieve this, the camera has two large-size cassette housings, which give the Leica Reporter its unmistakable appearance.
The feature of 1/1000 sec. as the fastest exposure speed was adopted for the Leica 250 as early as 1936. Many resulting “GG” model cameras were delivered during World War II. Only 92 cameras have been equipped with an electric motor drive MOOEV and used for aerial reconnaissance – most of them permanently installed in the infamous STUKA dive bombers. Many of these cameras were lost in the air battles, and only around 16 examples are known to exist today.
Research in the Leica Archives revealed that the offered camera is the last Leica Reporter with a MOOEV motor that left the company – it was unusually delivered to Amsterdam on 04.03.1948 (most of the cameras were delivered to the German Luftwaffe during WWII). It is in very good condition and has the usual modifications to use with the Leica-Motor MOOEV, like the coupling shaft (sloping ramp type) or special film-guide rollers, maintaining the film tension during high-speed operation. It also shows an unusual engraving on the top plate: ‘N.L.L.-V-III A6’. NLL = Nationaal Luchtvaartlaboratorium (National Aeronautical Laboratory).
The included Leica-Motor MOOEV no.10047 is engraved on the inside with a matching (!) camera serial number 353739 – it is very uncommon because the cameras were usually changed when a new film was needed – the motor stayed fixed in the aeroplane.
The Leica 250 GG with electric motor is an absolute rarity in Leica collectable items. It is one of the most extraordinary and valuable Leitz cameras – its rarity is comparable to the original Leica 0-Series from 1923 and can be a highlight of every Leica collection.
LEICA M3 BLACK PAINT FIRST BATCH BLACK DIAL
Condition: B+
Year: 1958
Serial No.: 918465
Estimate: € 300.000 – 350.000
Starting price: € 150.000
The earliest and most desirable version of the black paint Leica M3. The camera’s most prominent feature is the black film counter dial. Of course, it also shows all the other features of the early M3 black paint, like the all-black base plate, long strap lugs etc. It was delivered on 03.06.1958 to Brandt, Sweden and comes with a black paint brass-mount Summicron 2/5cm no.1587299.
LEICA M3 BLACK PAINT OUTFIT ‘JOHN BULMER’
Condition: B
Year: 1960
Serial No.: 993643
Estimate: € 80.000 – 100.000
Starting price: € 40.000
Sought-after original black paint M3, from the second official production batch, owned and used by famous British photographer John Bulmer, the camera is in used condition, with a very attractive patina, perfect working order, comes with a matching black paint Summicron 2/50mm no.2159675, also included in this lot is a photo book ‘The North’ by Bulmer.
LEICA M2 BLACK PAINT ‘SARKIS’
Condition: B+
Year: 1961
Serial No.: 1031843
Estimate: € 60.000 – 70.000
Starting price: € 30.000
A very special Leica M2 black paint, owned and used by the famous French conceptual artist Sarkis Zabunyan. The word ‘KRIEGSSCHATZ’ engraved on the back of the top plate is a keystone of numerous exhibitions and works of art of Sarkis. The camera comes with a brass-mount Summicron 2/50mm no.1474808. This lot includes a signed copy of the sought-after artbook ‘Blackout Leica Museum’ (Berlin, 1976, near-mint condition) and a letter of provenance. Sarkis Zabunyan, known by his first name SARKIS, is a French artist of Armenian origin. His fascination for art began when, as a teenager, he saw an illustration of Edvard Munch’s ‘The Scream’ in the newspaper. In 1964 he emigrated to Paris with his wife and set up a studio in the Paris suburb of Villejuif. Much of his work has since been exhibited internationally, and in 1980 he was appointed to the École des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg.
LEICA M2 BLACK PAINT ‘WALKER EVANS’
Condition: B
Year: 1961
Serial No.: 1031865
Estimate: € 60.000 – 70.000
Starting price: € 30.000
Original black paint M2, owned and used by the famous U.S. photographer Walker Evans, in fine condition (original Vulkanite replaced), screw-mount 8-element Summicron 2/35mm no.1671593, 12571J hood, Provenance: a personal and professional assistant of Mr Evans who inherited this camera.
LEICA I MOD. A ANASTIGMAT
Condition: B/C
Year: 1925
Serial No.: 211
Estimate: € 80.000 – 100.000
Starting price: € 40.000
Authentic Leica model A with a 5-element Anastigmat lens, in extremely rare original condition, with all early matching features. This lot includes the earliest version ETRIN case in ‘EPI’ leather style, twin cassette container. Several versions of the Leica model A were produced, which differ primarily in their respective built-in lenses. The Leica model A with a 5-element 50 mm Anastigmat f/3.5 lens represents the first version of a regular production Leica camera. It was first introduced to the public at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925. Only about 155 of these cameras were built and delivered in 1925 (production started with number 126, the 0-Series cameras bearing numbers 101-125).
The “Anastigmat” Leica is historically significant and in high demand among collectors. Finding an example in its original condition is extremely difficult today, as many early Leica cameras were later upgraded into more recent models.
LEICA IIIC OUTFIT ‘WALKER EVANS’
Condition: B/A
Year: 1950
Serial No.: 510611
Estimate: € 12.000 – 14.000
Starting price: € 6.000
A late Leica IIIc, owned and used by famous photographer Walker Evans (1903-1975). Evans purchased the camera in March 1954 in New York City. It comes with a Leicavit and two Nikon lenses: a Nikkor-O 4/2.1cm no.220540 (a Nikon F lens, including a Leica adapter, hood, two filters and Leitz 21mm finder) and W-Nikkor C 2.5/3.5cm no.251533 (an M39 lens, including hood, finder and a filter). Both lenses and the camera are mentioned in the list of Evans’ photographic equipment from 1961 (copy included, the original document is a part of the Walker Evans Archive of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City). Also included in this lot is the beautiful first print of ‘Message from the Interior’ by Evans (New York, 1966). Provenance: a personal and professional assistant of Mr Evans who inherited this camera.
LEICA CL PROTOTYPE 2 WITH 2/50MM C241
Condition: B/A
Year: c.1970
Serial No.: 2
Estimate: € 200.000 – 300.000
Starting price: € 100.000
The famous, unique Leica CL prototype. It shows the camera in the early stage of development, already in the general shape of the CL, but all the parts are actually exclusive to this prototype. A closer inspection reveals many unique design solutions, like the rangefinder window integrated with the viewfinder, unique back door with a special closing mechanism and opening for the tripod mount (screwed directly into the chassis). With 73.5mm height and 117mm wide the body is also more compact than the production camera (76mm and 120mm accordingly). This experimental Leica CL (marked with blue stickers ‘2’ on the top plate and inside of the back door) is also the only prototype finished in black paint. Included with this special CL is a prototype Sumicron 2/50mm no.0001076 engraved with optical formula C241 – a unique construction without a counterpart in the Leica lineup. Exactly this outfit was shown in Lager I ‘Cameras’ on page 249 and in Vidom no.118 on the cover and pages 48-52. It is for sure one of the most fascinating cameras we have the pleasure to offer.
LEICA MC PROTOTYPE 3
Condition: A/B
Year: 1970s
Estimate: € 100.000 – 150.000
Starting price: € 50.000
Leica MC represents the further camera development leading to the final CL. It already has the dimensions of the production camera but shows many interesting features unseen in the standard CL. All the controls are of a different shape, there is a small window for the meter on the top plate, the rangefinder window (and the rangefinder patch in the viewfinder) is perfectly round. Inside, the chassis and the film pressure plate are different.. All these small differences reveal an exciting story of the development of Leica CL. The camera is in excellent condition and comes with a unique prototype Elmarit-C 2.8/40mm no.0001180 (note the aperture numbers from the depth-of-field scale engraved directly on the mount) and a design drawing of the lens.
ELCAN 1⅜ INCH 1:2 (2/35MM) PROTOTYPE
Condition: A/B
Year: c.1960
Serial No.: 3355
Estimate: € 80.000 – 100.000
Starting price: € 40.000
One of only two existing prototype lenses for Leica M produced by Ernst Leitz Canada for the U.S. Navy, in near-mint condition, with clean optics, entirely different design to the production Leica lenses.
The highlights catalog can be found here.
