Leica Camera + Leica Classic = Leicashop

[raydm6]

I was browsing Leica's website and came across a link to Leica Pre-Owned. Further down, there's a link to Leica Classic Online Store. Opening the link brings you to Leicashop Classic.

I don't remember seeing this: Leica purchased ~75% share in Leica Shop in Vienna, Austria. Here's the press release from December 2020 of the new endeavor and below details of the transaction.

The first Leica Classic Store in Wetzlar is intended to be followed by many more worldwide – in the form of stand-alone shops, or dedicated spaces within existing Leica Stores.

I totally missed this and was wondering if anyone was aware of this?

Interesting...

 

[Dralowid]

Yes I knew about this a while back. in some ways rather sad, one appreciates and independent operation.

You can look at it a number of ways, either Leica is taking note of and supporting its heritage or it sees the sale of multi million pound old cameras as a way taking its brand to a bigger market.

I used to sell stuff through the old Leicashop. Peter Coeln was very straightforward and the results were generally good.

 

[raydm6]

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes I wondered the same. What is their marketing strategy here? I believe it is very smart and shrewd to offer a portal from their main website to their past heritage (perhaps their past being unbeknownst to a lot of people) - especially younger folks - and a nice continuity bridge to their current offerings. I agree.

I'll tell you, when I saw the Leica Pre-Owned page and scrolled through, I got a little excited and got a warm fuzzy - especially seeing the M6 featured prominently several times (perhaps a subliminal precursor to the new film M scheduled soon)?

I always window shopped at Leicashop but never purchased. I need to take closer look again although prices are very high currently.

 

[Dralowid]

Prices were always high at Leicashop but they appear to have a so called 'global' market. Whenever they sold stuff for me at auction it always met their estimates and beyond.

 

[ptpdprinter]

The Leica Classic area of the store shows one black paint M4 for 25,500 euros and another for 45,000 euros. Is that the going price? That's a pretty steep upcharge over an M-A.

 

[dexdog]

I looked at the site, and was kinda blown away by the "investment quality" section, which surprisingly had a number of cameras that were much less costly than the 25,500 euro mentioned above. Is this really a thing?

 

[ZivcoPhoto]

Last year I bought a 1936 CZJ 5.0 cm F3.5 Collapsible Tessar for Contax which was described as having excellent glass from Leica Store Vienna.

Totally unusable on film (or with Leica M10P) due to severe glow from the very severe haze / very fine scratches from cleaning attempts. Not usable with or without the special Walz 42mm push on lens hood I found. Not even usable at dusk.

So from whatever entity is selling classic camera gear its always buyer beware.

 

[Rob-F]

The Leica Classic area of the store shows one black paint M4 for 25,500 euros and another for 45,000 euros. Is that the going price? That's a pretty steep upcharge over an M-A.

Those prices are just plain crazy! The only thing that makes a black paint M4 worth more than a chrome one, is that there are people willing to pay that much. I know, rarity, but still . . .

 

[CameraQuest]

Last year I bought a 1936 CZJ 5.0 cm F3.5 Collapsible Tessar for Contax which was described as having excellent glass from Leica Store Vienna.

Totally unusable on film (or with Leica M10P) due to severe glow from the very severe haze / very fine scratches from cleaning attempts. Not usable with or without the special Walz 42mm push on lens hood I found. Not even usable at dusk.

So from whatever entity is selling classic camera gear its always buyer beware.

Leica Shop Vienna has great customer service. They will make it right.