Leica IIIa with Latest Custodian

[Benedictine]

Well here it is, my 80 year old Leica IIIa, loaded and ready. I have taken a few trial shots and for sheer gratifying enjoyment the reassuring idiosyncratic sound of that Leica shutter is unsurpassed, no digital camera can match it. My overwhelming feeling when I have the camera in my hands is one of privilege. In its 80 years this camera must have been witness to many remarkable sights and my speculation on to whom it belonged and where it has been is a diversion that is enjoyable but doomed to failure. Made in Germany was it bought by a German? Likely if not certain. The first owner must have been a keen photographer or why buy a Leica? It has obviously been looked after well and treasured by whoever in its lifetime owned it, (as it will be by the latest custodian) how did it make its way to England and eventually the midland city of Sheffield where I became its owner? Was it exported to the UK immediately or perhaps it crossed the channel in the hands of someone fleeing Hitler’s Germany?

The beautiful patina of the leather case is tactile; I hold it and feel connected to previous owners. Can objects be imprinted by those who handle them? When we hold something beautiful do we somehow transfer part of us to it? Certainly our DNA is easily left on things so why not aspects of our personality, our emotions and our feelings?

The camera already has ten years on me but barring catastrophic accidents I shall surely depart this world before it does and then what will happen to it? Perhaps someone in say another 80 years will hold it in their hands and say, “Well here it is, my 160 year old Leica IIIa, loaded and ready.”


 

[peterm1]

When I bought my 111a and found it had a serial number dating from 1936 I could not help but think about what images this camera might have seen. What happened to it during the war, who's hands held it and who's eyes looked through the viewfinder. Who else's hands had it eventually passed through to come ultimately to me? All questions that passed through my mind. Evocative things these old cameras.

 

[Benedictine]

I guess anyone who is fortunate enough to have one of these thinks the same. It s a pity that there is no register for certain camera makes, Leica included, on the lines of the art world's artist authenticating bodies. I don't know how many IIIa's were made but it would be an interesting research project to trace as many as possible. I may just try it!

 

[Dralowid]

Many years ago there was a TV play in the UK called The Stone Tape. If I remember correctly the premiss was that inanimate objects could collect and store emotions etc over time.

It will have seen happier times yes, but on the above basis, if it were in Germany around 1945 I would not like to experience the emotions it gathered.

Sometimes I feel as creative as a loaf of bread but I would not like to experience being traded for one...

 

[Benedictine]

...It will have seen happier times yes, but on the above basis, if it were in Germany around 1945 I would not like to experience the emotions it gathered...

Yes, makes you think doesn't it? We think we own things but in fact what we call "mine" now one day will be someone else's. But let's not get too gloomy and enjoy the beauty of what we have whilst we can. 🙂

 

[Dralowid]

I have an early Contax that I bought in Barrow in Furness. I was told it was bought by a senior manager at the Vickers yard for a sales trip to South America in the early '30s, presumably in the hope of selling new submarines to whichever side could afford them at the time. I was shown some of the pictures it took on the trip but do not have them. Indeed I have no documentation confirming the story. So the provenance is lost.

Paperwork is the key and paperwork often doesn't survive.

All this aside you have a good looking camera, congratulations. As a matter of interest is the baseplate marked Auf/Zu or Open/Close?

 

[Benedictine]

Open/Close. Why? Is it significant?

 

[Scrambler]

Open/Close. Why? Is it significant?

It wasn't sold in Germany. Well, the baseplate wasn't but it's a pretty fair bet the rest of the camera belongs with the base.

My IIIa - a 1938 - has auf/zu. It saw worse than yours. Probably. At least Leica were an ethical firm. I have much more mixed feelings about my 1937 Zeiss Nettar, quite possibly made by slave labour, and sold in Germany under Hitler (it has the price in Marks written inside).

 

[Benedictine]

It wasn't sold in Germany. Well, the baseplate wasn't but it's a pretty fair bet the rest of the camera belongs with the base.

My IIIa - a 1938 - has auf/zu. It saw worse than yours. Probably.

That is interesting, so the high probability is that it was exported to the UK and first sold here. I think I have read somewhere that Leica lost all its pre-war records during the war, pity as I would have got in touch with them. Do you know whether or not this is true?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I have two German made cameras. Pre-Nazi and after-Nazi. I can't force myself to buy anything from Nazi time. Family history.

 

[Dralowid]

Open/Close. Why? Is it significant?

Yes, as others have said it implies that it went straight for export. UK, US etc. Of course the baseplate could have been changed.

Obviously a lens marked in feet implies export also but again it could have been changed.

One can pick away at these things and build up a picture but in the end they are really a matter of conjecture. All part of the fun.

 

[David Hughes]

Equally, I wonder about all the made for the USA cameras, even with import certificates about tax and duty being paid, that ended up in Britain.

I seem to recall both Leitz and Zeiss equipment being used by the Third Reich's forces... And FED etc being used by the USSR forces but cameras are things and don't vote or support political parties.

Regards, David

 

[Dralowid]

Equally, I wonder about all the made for the USA cameras, even with import certificates about tax and duty being paid, that ended up in Britain.

I seem to recall both Leitz and Zeiss equipment being used by the Third Reich's forces... And FED etc being used by the USSR forces but cameras are things and don't vote or support political parties.

Regards, David

I was going to suggest that the OP look in the back pocket of the case... you never know.

 

[Benedictine]

The back pocket is sadly empty. My next question WAS going to be what did the back pocket contain? But now I know! Thanks guys for all your interesting contributions.

 

[Scrambler]

Equally, I wonder about all the made for the USA cameras, even with import certificates about tax and duty being paid, that ended up in Britain.

Regards, David

Well, for the late 30's into 1940 the cameras may have been exported to Leitz in USA and then reshipped back to the UK.

 

[Dralowid]

Well, for the late 30's into 1940 the cameras may have been exported to Leitz in USA and then reshipped back to the UK.

243030 was made in '37 so it is possible that it was a UK sale.

 

[ZivcoPhoto]

While holding my black/nickel model III export model from 1933, I sometimes pause for a minute and try to imagine what the camera has photographed and by whom in its long period of existence on this earth. I had DAG overhaul it several years ago and it has seen extensive use which makes it even more of a mystery to me.