Leica III saved from the trash

N

nickmeertens

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Hi all,

A friend of mine saved this camera from the trash. Some movers where going to through it away when cleaning out the house of elderly people that passed away.
He would like to know what type of III it is, when it was made and what the N-L engraving means. We live in the NetherLands, so it has probably something to do with that.
Everything seems to work fine, would it hurt putting a role of film in it?

Thank you for your help!

Nick

3690338944_0801e88393_o.jpg
 
Last edited:
Je vriend is een echte mazzelaar, Nick! Dat soort geluk heb ik nou nooit. 😉


Some people have all the luck. Using it won't hurt the camera. Just remember to extend the lens and cut the film leader to a longer length before trying to insert it..
 
This camera is unique!

I own a IIIc with N-L engravings. The N-L engraving was done by ODIN Netherlands, official importer of Leica in The Netherlands in the 1930s and 1940s. According to Jim Lager, the cameras delivered to ODIN were IIIc cameras, but the Leitz files show all cameras listed as IIIb cameras, in error.

Apperently, Leitz did send IIIb cameras to The Netherlands after all.

You should get in touch with LeicaTom, he has the contact to Jim Lager, who might be able to tell you whether the lens to the camera is the original lens as well. That would make the combo even more special.

The camera comes from a batch of 850 IIIb's, made in 1940. It might have been one of the last IIIb deliveries to The Netherlands, and probably was designated to the German military in The Netherlands, since civilians were forbidden to buy cameras shortly after the Germans invaded The Netherlands.
 
This is getting to be an exciting story! I'll ask for the Serial on the lens and get in touch with LeicaTom!

Ok, I got the info. There where 4 lenses with it.

What do you guys make of those?

Leitz Elmar f-5 cm, 1:3,5 no 535988
Leitz Summar f -5cm 1:2, no 190293;
-E- STAEBLE-TELE 1:5.6/85, no.528788;
Enna-Werke München Tele-Ennaston 1:3,5 f-13,5 cm, no. 2619404.
 
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Hello Nick,

Well, it is 100% a Leitz Odin Netherlands camera, from sometime in 1940.
(I would be safe to say post July 1940)

Many Leica`s sent to occupied Holland received the NL engraving`s there after import, it was done BEFORE, DURING and AFTER the war, so I would figure it has alot to do with the Dutch Taxes, even though the post June 1940 cameras were all sold to German forces stationed in Holland after the invasion.
(I have seen Leica`s built as early as 1935 with the N-L engraving)

According to Jim Lager, the Holland records were very strangely kept, showing many IIIC`s listed in number but written down as IIIB`s etc.

I once owned a extremely early IIIC that was issued to Holland in late July 1940 (Black Shutter IIIC ~ oldest known surviving Leica IIIC N-L , it was a WW2 US Army capture from Holland a 101st Airborne officer acquired it from a German POW ~ it sold to a prommident Italian Leica collector along with my 42' U-Boat Kriegsmarine IIIC/Xenon combo)
and that N-L camera was part of the last batch of IIIC`s that was written up correctly in the Leitz Docket books in July 1940.

Seems that someone was trying to juggle the books? with the cheaper prices of the IIIB possibly????? ~ Wartime records are sometimes very strange when it comes to cameras.

But, I will run the numbers by Jim Lager and then report back to you, I would suggest that the Elmar on it is more than likely the original lens (just seeing the number, it`s in the proper issued/sales bracket).

The camera is a jem, very few N-L`s have survived the war, and since I have written up threads about this and have brought the attention of these "history filled" cameras the values have also gone up.........it seems to be a fine condition and JUST with the Elmar, I would place it in the European market at about $800 to $1,400 depending on who`s looking, (WOW! I just noticed that the ORIGINAL Leitz camera strap lug rings are still on the body.....those too normally NEVER have survived the war and were dented/bent and broken off etc.)

You have a really interesting little camera, and I would clean it up and load it with some fresh film and go shoot some beautiful Dutch countryside with it!!!!!

Enjoy!!!!

Tom
 
Last edited:
Thank you for your insight Tom! I appreciate that very much.

Best, Nick

LeicaTom said:
Hello Nick,

Well, it is 100% a Leitz Odin Netherlands camera, from sometime in 1940.
(I would be safe to say post July 1940)

Many Leica`s sent to occupied Holland received the NL engraving`s there after import, it was done BEFORE, DURING and AFTER the war, so I would figure it has alot to do with the Dutch Taxes, even though the post June 1940 cameras were all sold to German forces stationed in Holland after the invasion.
(I have seen Leica`s built as early as 1935 with the N-L engraving)

According to Jim Lager, the Holland records were very strangely kept, showing many IIIC`s listed in number but written down as IIIB`s etc.

I once owned a extremely early IIIC that was issued to Holland in late July 1940 (Black Shutter IIIC ~ oldest known surviving Leica IIIC N-L , it was a WW2 US Army capture from Holland a 101st Airborne officer acquired it from a German POW ~ it sold to a prommident Italian Leica collector along with my 42' U-Boat Kriegsmarine IIIC/Xenon combo)
and that N-L camera was part of the last batch of IIIC`s that was written up correctly in the Leitz Docket books in July 1940.

Seems that someone was trying to juggle the books? with the cheaper prices of the IIIB possibly????? ~ Wartime records are sometimes very strange when it comes to cameras.

But, I will run the numbers by Jim Lager and then report back to you, I would suggest that the Elmar on it is more than likely the original lens (just seeing the number, it`s in the proper issued/sales bracket).

The camera is a jem, very few N-L`s have survived the war, and since I have written up threads about this and have brought the attention of these "history filled" cameras the values have also gone up.........it seems to be a fine condition and JUST with the Elmar, I would place it in the European market at about $800 to $1,400 depending on who`s looking, (WOW! I just noticed that the ORIGINAL Leitz camera strap lug rings are still on the body.....those too normally NEVER have survived the war and were dented/bent and broken off etc.)

You have a really interesting little camera, and I would clean it up and load it with some fresh film and go shoot some beautiful Dutch countryside with it!!!!!

Enjoy!!!!

Tom
Click to expand...
 
I know of some people in Germany who almost threw out a 1943 Leica IIIC K Grey W.H. with matching numbers lens.........they later put it up for auction and got over $6,000 for it!

Tom
 
Problem is it will hurt real bad if you put film through it so better send it to me, I am used to that kind of pain 😉
 
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