$390,000 ?!?!?! For a USER Leica III?

dcsang

dcsang

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Pffft.. who would be silly enough to pay $390,000 - $500,000 for such a poor looking Leica III... I guess even user Leicas are now "luxury" items.. 😉 😉

http://petapixel.com/2014/07/16/leica-iii-behind-iconic-flag-reichstag-photo-going-auction-november/

The story's been online for the better part of a day and I can't seem to locate it being posted here. If it has been posted, mods (obviously) feel free to delete.

bonhamsleica2.jpeg

Image via Bonhams

Cheers,
Dave
 
It is museum worthy on a big scale, thanks to the story behind it. And the seller probably is not wrong in suspecting that several museum sponsors will raise to the bait - massive tax deductions plus a name plate next to a prominent display in a international top category museum are attractive to the average billionaire...
 
Bille said:
I wonder how "Yevgeni" got his camera...
Click to expand...

Like all the German cameras used by Allied press photographers (HCB and Capa used Leica respective Contax cameras as well) he or his agency will have bought it (off Leitz, Contax or their dealership). Either before the war, or during the war through the agency representative in a neutral country (usually Sweden, Swizerland, Portugal or anywhere in South America). The black market days did not start until the war was over...
 
sevo said:
Like all the German cameras used by Allied press photographers (HCB and Capa used Leica respective Contax cameras as well) he or his agency will have bought it (off Leitz, Contax or their dealership). Either before the war, or during the war through the agency representative in a neutral country (usually Sweden, Swizerland, Portugal or anywhere in South America). The black market days did not start until the war was over...
Click to expand...

In the UK there was also a well publicised war time scheme to encourage owners to sell their cameras to the government as part of the war effort. I am sure this happened elsewhere. Someone has posted ads for this scheme before.

Makes you think about those times mind...incidence of obesity during rationing must have been at an all time low...
 
Only for soldiers, workers, and children. Politicians, generals, and businessmen still got fat. I think that's a 35mm Elmar on there, not a 50mm like it says?
 
I think this is so ridiculous. Why would this camera be worth anything more than any other similar camera, of which there are thousands. Would the underwear of the guy who assembled the camera be worth a special price too, because he helped realize the image?
 
David Hughes said:
I wonder why Billie said that and gave those links...

Regards, David
Click to expand...

I was wondering the same thing. I realize of course that there is a great deal of strong lingering feeling in Germany (Bille appears to be located in Germany) about the Soviet invasion and occupation of Germany. I get it -- but "you reap what you sow" comes to mind.

I don't understand his reference to "Yevgeni" -- Khaldei was a real person. Interesting that his photo was staged, just like the famous photo on Iwo Jima.
 
Tijmendal said:
I think this is so ridiculous. Why would this camera be worth anything more than any other similar camera, of which there are thousands. Would the underwear of the guy who assembled the camera be worth a special price too, because he helped realize the image?
Click to expand...

Ha! I concur. Auction estimates are often high to try to hype up coverage and potential buyers. It won't sell for that much. People want the work of an artist, not his paintbrush.
 
Didn't y'all notice? There's a SCNOO on that camera. Obvious to me where the value comes from.

Yes, I've recently begun looking for a SCNOO.
 
Wasn't the published print "photoshopped" in the darkroom, retouched that is in the old days to remove a second wrist watch
from the soldier's arm holding the flag, to eliminate any proof of looting?
There can't be any 100% proof that this camera really is the one being used for taking that shot.

But whatever, if someone has no clue what to do with his millions earned by tax evasion, then go ahead and bit on a pretty beat up camera.
 
Tijmendal said:
I think this is so ridiculous. Why would this camera be worth anything more than any other similar camera, of which there are thousands. Would the underwear of the guy who assembled the camera be worth a special price too, because he helped realize the image?
Click to expand...

If it really is the camera which took the "red flag over Reichstag" it's going to be worth a pretty penny to collectors.

you'd have to be historically oblivious not to see that.

300 grand is alot but not what it used to be LOL
 
Now I'm not particularly learned in modern history, but if I were rich enough to spend $300k like $3k, I'd love to own this camera.

Whether the photo itself is staged or not is irrelevant. The camera was a part of one of the most transformative events of European history.
 
The Iwo Jima shot wasn't staged. It was the 2nd of 2 flag-raisings.

KoNickon said:
I was wondering the same thing. I realize of course that there is a great deal of strong lingering feeling in Germany (Bille appears to be located in Germany) about the Soviet invasion and occupation of Germany. I get it -- but "you reap what you sow" comes to mind.

I don't understand his reference to "Yevgeni" -- Khaldei was a real person. Interesting that his photo was staged, just like the famous photo on Iwo Jima.
Click to expand...
 
Dralowid said:
In the UK there was also a well publicised war time scheme to encourage owners to sell their cameras to the government as part of the war effort. I am sure this happened elsewhere. Someone has posted ads for this scheme before...
Click to expand...

Hi,

I put this in ages ago:-

AP%20July%201943-X2.jpg


and this:

Kodak%20Salvage-XL.jpg



Regards, David
 
Here´s another bit of trivia concerning the photograph (scroll down)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-revealed-TWO-pictures-stitched-together.html

"This World War II photo, in Russian magazine Ogoniok, shows Russian soldiers raising the Soviet flag atop the German Reichstag building. The magazine's editor-in-chief removed a watch from the soldier's right arm, because of suspicion it had been looted as he also wore one on his left."
 
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