Leica Camera

[tennis-joe]

I went to a Swap meet this weekend and saw a Leica camera and was wondering what it it and about the year? Also I am assuming the lens was screwed in with small screws and was not removeable?
Joe

 

[JMQ]

Do you have the serial number?

 

[Calzone]

My guess is a Leica "O."

Cal

 

[tennis-joe]

I was so suprised to see it that I forgot to get the serial #. It was beautiful and only had a few scratches on the bottom. The view finder was clear as can be.
Joe

 

[Rogrund]

Looks like a Leica A. Manufactured between 1925 and 1936, I believe.

 

[tennis-joe]

Looking up on the internet it might be a Leica A.
J

 

[Roger Hicks]

A.

Cheers,

R.

 

[David Murphy]

Yes I think it is a Leica I (A). I owned one once and it was a decent camera, simple and easy to repair. DAG camera even had some parts stocked for it and may still!

As I recall the Leica factory offered a service to convert many of these to interchangeable lens models and that might still be possible, perhaps at DAG or even Leica. It is not an extraordinarily valuable camera since it was popular and many were made. I sold mine for around $350 in working condition, but only fair cosmetic shape. Yours looks better cosmetically. That was before the current Leica price inflation, so it's probably worth more now.

If I owned one today I would hold on to it.

 

[a.noctilux]

This is a very nice Leica I (model A) with non-interchangeable Elmar 50mm.
Production from 1926 to 1936. Number minus 71199.
More common than with Elmax or Hektor.

Arnaud

 

[tennis-joe]

The lady that had it said it was not for sale and I am trying to contact her to ask her again if it is for sale.
J

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

I'd ask again, too.

BTW, it's not one of the very early ones as it has the later shutter button and not the wider "mushroom" one. Also the shutter guard is missing.

If you do get it, please, please, don't think if messing it up to take other lenses. Get a model II for that and keep it as it is. The early ones like this are worth saving.

And, if you do got to see her and look at the serial number then be prepared to check its year by having a rough print out of the years and serial numbers or something.

Regards, David

 

[Rangefinderfreak]

here I post a leica story from Finland:
Our very good leica repairman Ingo Forsberg (now retired) told about a young guy that came to leica service, showed a totally beat up leica, all leather missing, lens totally opacque, like sand blasted, dents everywhere, The guy said: While cleaninng the attic, we found this. a camera of my grandfather. We thought it is worth anything, gave it to kids to play in the playground. Then somebody of our friends said: it is a leica, maybe it has still some value. I took it here, what is its worth ? Ingo was completely outraged ! His reply was: If you had brought it here when you found it, it had worth, now not a penny ! The guy put the camera in his pocket, turned and walked away... Ingo said:
I should have kept my cool, offered fifty euros and bought it. My biggest mistake in my life ! It was ONE OF THE "O" SERIES PROTOTYPES... Even having a mild fix, worth... you know how much...

http://designtaxi.com/news/352506/The-World-s-Most-Expensive-Camera-1923-Leica-O-Series/