A Leica owned by a significant German military figure.

[jmilkins]

I'm a user not a collector of cameras (though my wife would disagree!) and I have recently bought an M6 body. I'd been considering a user M and something about this one made me very curious. So curious I did some quick research, and what I found made me even interested enough to buy it.

[/url] Leica M6 by transalper, on Flickr[/IMG]

Leica M6 by transalper, on Flickr

The well used M6 is engraved "Graf Baudissin" and a simple google search leads to this :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Graf_von_Baudissin


My theory is this - Graf Baudissin was born in 1907, and the M6 is a late '86 model, with a German manual. Therefore, this camera would have been made a few months before Baudissin's 80th birthday! I think it's possible it might have been a gift from Leica, or colleagues, or family though I don't know how to go about verifying this. Baudissin passed away in 1993 and the camera has found new owners. The previous owner to me bought it near Hamburg where Baudissin passed away.

Plausible theory? I think so!

In any case I'm pleased to be continuing to use a camera that feels great in the hand and has a bit of added mystique.

 

[haempe]

Ask Leica! I'm sure they will have something about in their records...

Interesting camera anyway.

 

[raydm6]

Doesn't seem to be any of the commemoration models listed here.

 

[hans voralberg]

That is a very beautiful engraving!

 

[xayraa33]

I want the Alfred von Schlieffen engraved Leica III .

 

[Robert Lai]

Well, you could go around pretending to be a Count Baudissin. The title must have passed on to his heirs.

 

[former member]

It looks like a gift, to be sure. Probably not an "official commemerative" from Leica, probably a gift from family and/or friends. Nicely engraved to make it personal.

 

[Nikon Bob]

I would go along with what Brian has said. It would be interesting to find something with the Graf's personal signature on it to compare with that on the camera.

Bob

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Doesn't seem to be any of the commemoration models listed here.

Neither does this one 🙂

http://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/page9.html

 

[johannielscom]

That is not a commemmorative Leica, but a specially engraved one.

From the font, I wouldn't consider it a Leica-done job, so it will be unlikely to find it listed with Leica at all.

It's hand-engraved. If you want to know more about it you could either contact the heirs, or ask around with well-known jewellers stores in Hamburg and vicinity if they did the engraving?

I would consider having my M3 engraved when I would find someone able to engrave like that!

 

[swoop]

What is the condition of the viewfinder? Any dust or scratches? It could be worthless.

 

[jmilkins]

Hello all, thank you for your input and interest. I agree with the view that this particular camera is certainly not a factory commemorative issue, but rather a standard M6 with engraving done specifically for Count Baudissin.

The quality of engraving is high (great suggestion to try to find the Count's signature Bob) and I too think that it's a hand done piece,done after the sale of the camera.

What I like about the camera is that it has obviously been used. Nonetheless the viewfinder is perfectly aligned and free of any defects - just pure joy to bring to the eye. I wonder what images it has captured for the Count during the years he owned it and by its later owners.

I will send the details to Leica and see if there is any info there. Finding his family might be harder. In the meantime I suppose its the long savings goal to pair it with an appropriate Leitz optic!

 

[zvos1]

Hi John

You still got M4-P ??

I was actually bidding on that particular M6 but you beat me to it. I figured it was going to sell for less due to engraving and I think in the end it did.

Interesting fact about the Count is that he spent some time here in Victoria as prisoner of war in 40s' and now his camera ended up back in Victoria...

Enjoy the camera mate....

 

[MichaelW]

Hi John
I was actually bidding on that particular M6 but you beat me to it. I figured it was going to sell for less due to engraving and I think in the end it did.

Funnily enough, a guy I know in Sydney was also looking at that camera & decided not to bid because of the engraving. It did go for a good price.

 

[jmilkins]

Hi John

You still got M4-P ??

I was actually bidding on that particular M6 but you beat me to it. I figured it was going to sell for less due to engraving and I think in the end it did.

Interesting fact about the Count is that he spent some time here in Victoria as prisoner of war in 40s' and now his camera ended up back in Victoria...

Enjoy the camera mate....

heh thanks Nezvo - sorry 'bout the bid! I thought the engraving would add to it's appeal after i worked out who he was, but who can predict these things. I like the connection back to Australia too. Hope you r Os trip was great.

The M4-P and M6 make great stablemates and will enjoy each other's company! Same finder and one has a meter if needed.

 

[jmilkins]

Funnily enough, a guy I know in Sydney was also looking at that camera & decided not to bid because of the engraving. It did go for a good price.

Heh Michael - it is a small world in Australia for rangefinder nerds eh! 😉

 

[El Jonbre Grande]

Heya John - I almost bought that M6 before it went on ebay (the owner lived just down the road from me 🙂 but I decided I wanted an M5 or M4) - hope you get a lot of joy from it!

 

[jmilkins]

Yeah -an M5 is on my wish list because of the frame line and metering area match ups - just brilliant design in my view. There's one that's gone through at least 3 RFF members here and might come up again one day! I think it's an added bonus to be able to see images others have taken with a camera (or lens) you now own - gives the camera a history and a life of it's own, if that's not being way too sentimental. I have a Hexar RF that 2 other RFF photographers I admire once used.

 

[Shade]

Very interesting and yes I would agree that it is engraved beautifully.