Help me identify this camera

Oh btw. If someone wants it, I can contact the seller.
He states that it is in perfect working condition, but I can't verify, as I haven't any lenses at the moment.


Top plate:

VIeEOo5
 
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The number on the top plate could be something like a social security number of a previous owner, or an inventory number from a company. I once had a Leica IIIf red dial with similar engravings.

Wasn't the West German Government going to create a 12 digit personal identification number system some years ago? Could that be it?

John
 
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It looks like a inventory number as stated. Probably a university or government agency. The engraving is probably not done by Leica as it is quite large and different font from the Leica number.
The german military would have a similar engraving - but usually they did it on the back under the advance lever. They also painted them green.
It it is a camera that has been used for copy work - you might find that top speeds (1/125 and faster) might be a bit iffy. Price sounds OK anyway.
 
Hi Tom,

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Really appreciate it!
I also think that the large font looks kinda odd and not genuine.

The seller states that all times work perfect, what sounds a little to good for that price...

I'm not planning to buy another camera, just asked as I stumbled across it and knew that some guys around here have great knowledge.

Kind regards
Oliver

P.S. The price is really good.
 
John Lawrence said:
Wasn't the West German Government going to create a 12 digit personal identification number system some years ago? Could that be it?
Click to expand...

It is not deployed yet, and even if it were you would not see it on cameras. Germans generally refuse to use ID card, driving license, tax, insurance and social security numbers in interaction with third parties - engraving supposedly confidential personal data like a social security number onto a camera is hereabouts considered positively obscene. It was quite a effort to get German corporations to publish their VAT numbers when the EU made that obligatory.

I support the guess that it will be a inventory number, as it follows the pattern of blocks of one to five digits separated by dashes used by the German military for about 150 years. It is not that likely to have been the West German military itself as their scheme had grown more complex (to a three block type catalogue which mostly meant five block item numbers). It can hardly be drilled down deeper than that - it could be almost anybody, as just about every German working in 1961 had been through at least one of the world wars, so that most German inventories, whether federal, state, corporate or private, effectively copied the general "Heer/Wehrmacht" numbering scheme they were familiar with...
 
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Odd that the rear door is heavily worn RHS but not Left. Could that be from copy work ? Thinking: rest hand on the back while on stand to wind on ? Never done that but regardless price looks reduced suitably for the engraving which cannot affect the use and is, as you have found, a talking point :D
 
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