Cameras/Leica Camera
Advertisement
Question
My father's old Leica camera is in my possession and I wish to sell it and give my mother the proceeds
It has a serial no 132278. Ernst Leitz Wetzlar D.R.P. is written on the camera.
"Ernst Leitz Wetzlar" is written on lens. What is its value please and how best might I sell it?
Thank you very much
David Sinclair
and it also says Summaron f=3.5 cm 1:3.5
Hello,
From the serial number, that would be a Leica III (also known as the Leica Model F), a typical 35mm coupled rangefinder camera, made by Leitz of Germany in 1934. It's a fairly common model, with over 76,000 sold between 1933 and 1939. Truly excellent examples sell in the $300 range today, and they can be difficult to sell because there are so many of them floating around. If you forward this message, and a couple of small JPEG digital images of the camera, to me at <silver@well.com>, I'll take a good look at it, and then recommend some honest collectors and historians you can contact directly for a quick and stress-free transaction.
Best wishes,
David Silver
Related Articles
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:
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.