Cameras/Leica camera
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Question
My question is similar to the one you just answered from Jason. I have my father's Leica, have had it stored away for many years. I believe he bought it in Germany during WWII. I am ready to sell it but know nothing much about it. The booklets with it are titled If-IIf-IIIf. I have seen almost the exact camera online with the exception of the 3 letters under the Leica name. Mine has DBP and the serial # is 773714. I need to find out the value of the camera and then also the value of cases and lenses and other stuff I don't even know what they are.
Thankyou
Hello Maryann,
Well, this was purchased well after World War II, and more likely from one of the large photography outlets in New York rather than Germany. Even without seeing it for myself, I can tell you without a doubt that serial number 773714 is a Leica IIIf, a traditional 35mm coupled rangefinder camera, made by Leitz of Germany in 1955. This is a very common model, with over 188,000 units sold from 1950 to 1957, making it the second most numerous camera Leitz produced (the first was the Leica M3). However, it's still regarded as a good usable, as well as a collectible camera today (for those with a thorough understanding of old film photography), and excellent complete working late (1955-1957) examples with an appropriate matching Leitz 5cm normal lens (an Elmar or Summicron) can sell in the $400-$500 range. The hard part is finding a buyer. The market is flooded with examples of the IIIf, condition is key, you can't trust this to a snake pit like eBay, and collectors are reluctant to buy from "unsophisticated" sellers. Plus, there's untold additional value in whatever other lenses and accessories you have. If you'd like me to help, please contact me directly at <silver@photographyhistory.com>, provide some small JPEG digital images of the camera and other items so I can make a proper evaluation, and I'll get back to you with some recommendations on selling. It's a confusing maze of traps and pitfalls out there, but I'll gladly walk you safely through all of it...
Best wishes,
David Silver – President
International Photographic Historical Organization
(415) 681-4356
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David Silver
Expertise
I'm an expert on all types of antique, classic, and contemporary cameras, as well as the general history of photography. Everything from ancient box cameras to modern single-lens-reflex; from simple Kodaks to sophisticated Leica and Nikon; from glass plates and roll film to movie and 35mm. I can identify and appraise them, explain how they work, and offer insights on their restoration and care. I can also provide historical background on vintage cameras and equipment, and guidelines on their purchase and sale.
Experience
I've been a professional photographer and a student of the history of photography for nearly 30 years. During that time my collection of vintage cameras and photographic paraphernalia has grown beyond 2000 significant pieces. I've published nearly 70 articles in the field, including 16 in the popular "Buying Classic Cameras" series for PHOTO SHOPPER MAGAZINE from 1995 to 1997, I'm currently a contributing editor for CAMERA SHOPPER MAGAZINE and McKEOWN'S PRICE GUIDE TO ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAMERAS, and I've written numerous entries for WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA. Portions of my collection have been displayed in museums and special exhibits in the past two decades, and many of the items were photographed as illustrations for books. In 1985 I founded the International Photographic Historical Organization (InPHO), which eventually evolved into its intended purpose as the best first resource for information on the history of photography. I'm also a founding member of several e-mail forums dedicated to specialized areas of photography, and I'm the moderator of the Internet Directory of Camera Collectors (IDCC), which remains the largest and most successful such group in the world. For more information about the International Photographic Historical Organization and its many services, please visit its web pages at:
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