Cameras/old leica camera
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Question
What kind of model is this, and what's is worth?
click the link or copy paste it for viewing the foto's:
http://groups.msn.com/WW2Militaria/leikacodack.msnw
the serial number is 357 214
Hello,
Actually, this is *not* a Leica at all! This is a FED, a very common Russian copy of a 1930's Leica, made some time in the late 1940's or early 1950's. It originally had the FED markings on it...but there has been quite an active little business going in the Ukraine the past decade or so for craftsmen making counterfeit Leica "commemorative" or "military" models from these FED cameras. If you search on eBay, there are a dozen or more of these counterfeits available in any given week. They tend to sell in the $125 to $250 range depending on how fanciful and decorative they are. They have absolutely no historical or real collectible value, but many people can't resist them. A FED can be purchased for around $25, the craftsmen certainly don't put more than $25 worth of time and material into the customizing (remember, we're talking about the Ukraine, where labor is cheap and metal resources are very common!), so they make their money from quantity and there are zillions of these things floating around. As an interesting curiosity, and a more fanciful counterfeit, I'd suggest a value of around $175 for your example.
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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