35mm Summilux w/ eyes (M3 version) sells for > 10K US$

maddoc

maddoc

... likes film again.
Local time
1:39 PM
Joined
Dec 27, 2006
Messages
7,644
I was watching an Ebay auction for a 35mm Summilux, 1st version in black paint. Lens was with original front and rear caps and was sold separately from a BP M3. The lens sold for > 10k US$ ... :eek:

item 200582207594
 
I had a closer look at the bidding history, too. Seems that three bidder were competing in the last seconds of the auction and driving the price up.
 
The seller always has high bids on all items he/she sold. Either he/she is really good at auctioning/advertising or he/she has someone helping raising the bid price.
The seller is also not honest about condition/description. Many packages he/she sold came with unmatched serial# packaging, card, etc. But he sold them as original and no mentioning in the ad. Look at the feedback history, you will see he/she buys the lenses/cameras and packaging (card, box, etc) separately then put them together selling as original package.
 
I guess, the fine print for understanding the crazy price is "1st version" in combination with "black paint".

How rare exactly are these?
 
Most Leitz lenses of that period were chrome.
The Lux w eyes was of course made for the M3 and was soft at f1.4 and most purchased the Summicron as I did because it was superior at f2.0. So couple up both factors to find not many were made which leads to collector itus.-Dick
 
It is not the first version but the second: there is no bayonet mounting ring for the OLLUX shade. This type is not very rare. The price is absurd.

Erik.
 
Erik, thanks for pointing that out. I was not aware of this small difference between the 35mm Summmilux lenses w/ eyes. Still, I am wondering what caused the high price.
 
sc_rufctr said:
Any body know what the proper price is for this lens?
Click to expand...

This lens is not painted black, only black anodized. A very clean example would be around $2000. Keep in mind that all M3 versions of the second type Summilux 35 are black and that the lens was available until 1974.

Erik.
 
Last edited:
The pictures in the ad shows a lot of haze in both goggle eyes despite the seller indicating the lens is free of haze. Maybe the taking lens is haze free but certainly not the goggles.
 
There were some "special order" Summiluxes v1 made in black paint. Most were ordered by pro's who wanted the "stealth" look (?). I have also seen a couple of black paint 35f1.4'' v1 in screw-mount. Again, special oder items. In the 50's and early 60's Leica would do these - not as a la carte items, but as limited versions. Usually done through the importers - who simply added up how many they could sell and ordered them. When the Summilux v1 (both the 50 and the 35) came out - there were still photographers who were using IIIf's and IIIg's and wanted the new, fast lenses.
The later version vI was indeed black anodized - or in some cases mixed black anodized and black paint.
The biggest problem with these things is that Leica's production records for these specials is not complete. Usually you have to go to the shipping documents to find out if any "specials" were made.
Is the price nuts - yes, in my book it is - but then i am not a collector. For something like that it has to be a case of "filling" a hole in a collection (and having the money to do so). Hope the buyer is happy with it.
I have had multiple 35f1.4 v1 over the years - at bit of sensation when it came out, but by todays standard fairly mediocre lens, though a 35f1.4 v1 with the OLLUX hood looks good on a M2, lust as the Summilux 50f1.4 v1 with the "crackle" finished hood and the nicely knurled focussing ring looks good on a black M3. But looks does not make a good lens!!

PS Leica even made a handful of the SBLOO finder in black paint! They were trying to get the Swedish Army to order some more of the "Three Crown" IIIg's and made a small batch of 35f1.4'v1 in LTM and the matching 35 finder. Looked really good on a black IIIg.
 
Last edited:
I can't imagine why the lens mentioned above went for so much, but this seller seems to always get higher than usual prices. Isn't this the person who bought out the Midland factory when they stopped making cameras? I think they bought an engraver and a set of the forms you need to engrave top plates along with a bunch of machining equipment too. I seem to remember them selling an Army green M3 for a huge amount of money that was of questionable provenance.

The seller in this link has had a V2 Black Summilux listed for around $2500 for many, many months, maybe even a couple of years. I guess he saw this recent price and decided to raise it to $3600!

I sold my V1 Summilux(with an Ollux hood) to another RFFer a few months ago for about $2400. I pretty much gave the hood to him for free but I needed to money to fund another lens and he desperately wanted the hood. It's the only lens I have ever regretted selling...

Bob
 
Tom A said:
Is the price nuts - yes, in my book it is - but then i am not a collector. For something like that it has to be a case of "filling" a hole in a collection (and having the money to do so). Hope the buyer is happy with it.
Click to expand...

Right, people here are thinking the buyer is a user when they are most likely a collector. Collectors are crazy at times and this lens is rare.
 
eBay prices are silly. UK dealer prices are lower, the stuff is more likely to be usable and you get a guarantee. Great if you're a seller though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom