Anyone have any information about D.B.P leica IIIc?

[GabrielKim]

Hello! Actually this is my first thread so I'm bit shy now 😀
So recently I bought normal IIIc with 490--- serial, so I thought this will have normal D.R.P leica with smooth and shiny surface.
But after I got the package, I found all of engravings are different, my one has D.B.P with GmbH.
Surface feels different, exactly same as M3, (which has same engravings).
I heard leica did upgrade services to IIIf but this thing didn't upgraded, so I'm wondering that anyone has information about DBP leica with original C body.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

It has probably had its top cover replaced for some reason. Maybe the camera was dropped or hit against something and dented the cover, and Leitz replaced the old one after they had changed the surface treatment and engravings. That's actually a fairly common thing. A lot of old screwmount Leicas have non-standard parts because Leitz offered updates to these cameras to turn them into newer models, and because they kept servicing them long after they stopped making them.

 

[GabrielKim]

It has probably had its top cover replaced for some reason. Maybe the camera was dropped or hit against something and dented the cover, and Leitz replaced the old one after they had changed the surface treatment and engravings. That's actually a fairly common thing. A lot of old screwmount Leicas have non-standard parts because Leitz offered updates to these cameras to turn them into newer models, and because they kept servicing them long after they stopped making them.

Wow. Thank you! I that is pretty cool thing 🙂

 

[Bill Snell]

Hi, Some leicas were "appropriated" in the aftermath of WW2 and attempts were made to obliterate serial Nos. I have a 1935 iiia that I know the history of and this camera was sent to Wetzler and returned with the same engraving as yours complete with the original serial number. Enjoy.

 

[Dralowid]

490478 is a IIIc from '49/50. Not an upgrade or conversion.

DRP Deusches Reichs Patent (up to 1949)
DBP Deusches Bundes Patent (1949 onwards)

I think there are some marked DRP post '49 just to confuse matters but yours is fine.

 

[David Hughes]

The problem with the IIIc is that it first appeared during the war and both sides were desperate to get hold of them and so many were cannibalised. And we now have to try and sort out the confusion.

For example they were never openly on sale in the Great Britain and yet a lot turn up here from various sources including crashed Nazi bombers and so on.

I don't know if they can be dated from the innards but someone might know. All I know is that there are a lot of mixed up Leicas about from that period.

Regards, David

PS And given the dramatic changes from the IIIa etc I often wonder why the weren't called the model IV but there you are...