Cameras/leica camera
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Question
I have an old Leica camera black body and crome top/bottom.
It is marked Leica D.R.P Ernst Leitz Wetzlar. No 322002. It has a leitz Elmar f= 5cm 1:3,5 lens serial number 479991. There are no carry handle lugs on the body. It also has a metal disc held by two screws projection to left of the lens on the black body, which i believe is for a timer??. Can you please tell me the model of this Leica and value. It is in v good condition. P.S thanks for your time and advice. Clive
Hello Clive,
By the serial number, you have a Leica II, a basic coupled rangefinder 35mm camera, made by Leitz of Germany in 1939. It's historically significant as the fist camera Leitz made with the coupled rangefinder to aid focusing, but over 50,000 were sold between 1932 and 1940, so it remains fairly common. A truly excellent example should sell in the $350-$450 range today.
Best wishes,
David Silver
P.S. Please don't go out of your way, but I'd enjoy seeing a JPEG of the camera. I'm curious about what odd little modification somebody put on it in regards to the "metal disc held by two screws". People do the oddest things to their cameras. So, if it's not a bother, a single small JPEG to <silver@well.com> would be appreciated. Thank you!
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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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