strange working Attrape M3

P

photovdz

Well-known
Local time
8:54 PM
Joined
Aug 21, 2006
Messages
246
Location
Belgium
View My Gallery
Hello all,

besides using a lot of various rf cameras (from olympus to leica, with a large stop at contaxes... and retinas...), I like to find bizarre cameras...

And this seems to be one...

A leica M3 with an A serial number and what looks like an unbroken L seal... but a fully working one... bought on ebay germany, the seller was the son of the late owner (an engineer) and was very angry that I dare to ask if the camera was functionnal (didn't even know what an attrape was). And indeed the camera is functionnal (fully functionnal including the flash synch). The seller told me the story of his late father coming back from a long business stay in Canada with a Leica and some lenses... and for the low price I paid it's not a "fake"

here are the picture of the thing... does anyone know something about that ?

Stephan
 

Attachments

  • leica A top.jpg
    leica A top.jpg
    35.5 KB · Views: 0
  • leica A front general.jpg
    leica A front general.jpg
    39.5 KB · Views: 0
  • leica A Lseal 2.jpg
    leica A Lseal 2.jpg
    40.6 KB · Views: 0
Attrape's were original Leica body shells that were made as store displays with nothing inside. However some were either sent to Leitz or other repairman and had the mechanism installed.

I once had one but sold it years ago..
 
Most of Attrappen were assembled on regular M's. I.e -you bought an Attrappe and salvaged top plate/baseplate and exterior parts and put them on a similar model M with scratched, dented or cannibalized chassi.
There is usually nothing wrong with these cameras, if they were assembled properly, but often the donor chassi and interior parts came from well used or severely beaten up cameras and with the new controls and top/base plate, they can look deceptivly clean and "mintish".
On some Attrappen, things like film guide rails and film gates were either not finished off or just not there so a donor chassi was used.
The L seal means nothing as it can be easily faked and often is.
 
it is not clean and mintish ;-) but no sign of abuse... anyway I'll use it without problems... the modification seems to have been made very early...

Thanks for the information
 
only little "problem" if it is one... the shutter makes a little noise after shutting on slow speed... is it normal ? My other M3 (741xxx) does not make that noise but it's a DS and not a SS...

Is there a place somewhere inside to find the original serial number of the donor body ?
 
photovdz said:
only little "problem" if it is one... the shutter makes a little noise after shutting on slow speed... is it normal ? My other M3 (741xxx) does not make that noise but it's a DS and not a SS...

Is there a place somewhere inside to find the original serial number of the donor body ?
Click to expand...

Not exactly sure what you mean about the shutter, but there is a quiet wind-down buzz after the firing and completion of a show speed (below 15th of a second), which is normal for all M cameras (excepting the M5 and CL, which sound different). If your DS doesn't do this then it's time for a CLA. Also at a 15th and a 30th there should be a slight "spring bounce" after firing.

The original "L" seal was raised. This one does not look like that to me. As Tom indicated, a carved "L" seal can easily be faked.

Older M3s had the matching serial number engraved on the chassis under the film-guide plate. You might take a look there. However, the matching serial number engraving was discontinued in around 1960.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom