Cameras/Identifying Leica model and date
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Question
I am trying to identify and date a Leica camera I inherited. From
pictures, it appears to be a III series, but I can not tell the
differences between IIIc, f, g, etc. On the top it says Leica D.R.P.
Ernst Leitz Wetzlar No. 181791. Can you tell from the number what
model it is and when it was made? Are there tables available
soemwhere which match Leica serial numbers and models and
dates?
Kevin
Hello Kevin,
From the serial number you must have a Leica IIIa made by Leitz of Germany in 1935. This is a very common model, as they sold over 91,000 from 1935 to 1939, and it seems like the majority have survived to today. It was the first camera Leitz produced with a top speed of 1/1000. A truly excellent example, with an appropriate Leitz 5cm normal lens (such as an Elmar or Summar) would bring about $250 in the current collectible camera market.
Regarding tables or lists of Leitz serial numbers, there are several available, and some are on the internet. However, all are incomplete and often misleading. In my position, with decades of experience, I've accumulated my own information, but much of it is "filed" in my head! That's one of the reasons I do this AllExperts work...so people have access to the best possible information.
Best wishes,
David Silver
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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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