7 digit serial number?

[thegman]

Hello,
It was pointed out in the classifieds that my Leica IIIf has a 7 digit serial number, and this would seem to be unusual. Can anyone explain what this could mean?

Thanks

Garry

 

[Dralowid]

Sounds odd.

I thought the last ltm cameras were in the 980,000 range and these were IIIg or Ig

Thought IIIf stopped around 800,000

Bang the serial into www.summilux.net and see what you get.

 

[thegman]

Thanks for the link, I put in the serial, and it was 'unknown'. I left off of the last digit, and it was found as being produced in 1950. Perhaps the serial was modified after the self timer being added or something? The last digit does look ever so slightly different to the rest.

 

[ferider]

Leica added a "1" after exchanging the top plate is my guess.

 

[Jerevan]

I seem to remember that Leica did add a * to some few cameras (or lenses) when the serial number had been duplicated. I am thinking that the above explanation sounds plausible.

 

[Rob-F]

If you ignore the "1" at the end, the resulting serial number does fall into the IIIf range. As to Leica adding that "1," I don't know about that. The 1 seems too close to the 6th digit. It looks crowded in. Maybe some else added it. As already noted, Leica would have added a * if they had changed the top plate.

 

[ferider]

Here is at least one other similar body (a IIIa), Garry: http://photo.net/leica-rangefinders-forum/00bKyP