Cameras/Leica Antique Camera
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Question
Hello, I have been researching my grandfather's Leica camera and he collected numerous cameras that I really know very little about. I have no use for them and don't collect tham, but I don't want to just give them away.I believe it is a Leica Model IIIC, Chrome body, 35mm Camera. Serial No. 300670. Lens: Screw-mount, 3.5 Leitz ELMAR and comes with brown leather case. It is in good condition. Could you give me an idea of what it is and its worth. I also have several Bolex movie cameras and I really don't know their worth. Thank you and have a great day.
Hello,
By the serial number, you have a Leica IIIa, a basic 35mm coupled rangefinder camera, made by Leitz of Germany in 1938. It's a fairly common model, over 90,000 were sold between 1935 and 1939, after which it was replaced by the similar Leica IIIc. Not much of a market for these, but a truly excellent example should still bring around $250.
Bolex is difficult. Some of models are marked, but most can only be identified by inspection. If you want me to look at them, feel free to send a few small JPEG digital images to my personal e-mail <silver@well.com> and I'll get back to you with model names, values, and some ideas of how best to sell them. I can probably help you locate a buyer for the Leica as well.
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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