Black paint M2 with black chrome parts?

[Srono]

I came across an blackpaint M2 which i found it is not usual. Its serial number tells me that it is one of the original black paint. The paint is still nice and seller also told me that this BP M2 has been repainted/reworked by factory. L seal and the paint looks original. However, with closer examination, I found these parts are in Black Chrome: shutter dial, frame counter, timer lever, and flash shoe looks not original.

At first I thought they were changed by another 3rd party but then suspect they could also be replaced by Leica factory (?)... The reason is that, if I'm not wrong, their is no black chrome M2, so how could there be black chrome counter and M2 black chrome timer lever?

Did Leica offer "upgrade" to black chrome parts when the BP cameras came back for servicing?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,
srn

 

[Tom A]

I have had black paint cameras where some of the parts were blacl chrome. It seems to me that Leica did do some parts in blacl chrome - probably later than the cameras. Rather than setting up a "paint line" - they just had the damaged/missing parts black chrome plated. Leica did not get back to doing black paint until the LHSA special editions in the 90's.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Black paint M2's and M3's with parts in black chrome are often restored camera's, done by the factory when the original parts were no longer made in black paint or were out of stock, so after 1971. They always held their original number. The black chrome finish was introduced with the M5 in 1971.

Erik.

 

[Srono]

Tom, Erik, thanks a lot for your info.

So it is quite unique with rare black chrome counter dial 😀