Interesting pre-war Leica?

ziyanglai · Oct 13, 2014

A friend of mine send me these photo on Facebook. He told me that another friend of his:

"got it from garage sale he do buy and sale like American Pickers but he only travel local, he doesn't now about this camera but he put it in Craigslist for OBO someone offer him 5k, but he change his mind he thinks its more than that."

Any idea what this interesting little camera is? Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks all.

Peltigera · Oct 13, 2014

I don't think that wood finish is original. For a Leica collector it probably has reduced value with the wood effect - doubt it is worth the 5k.

snapguy · Oct 13, 2014

I wonder what the chances are that a "pre-war" Leica found at a "garage sale" is not a cynical Russian/East European fake....call me suspicious by nature. Third-hand reporting makes my teeth itch, as well.

Fotoguy20d · Oct 13, 2014

Especially when it's IIb style. Easiest way to tell is to fire the sitter and wind it. Leica is buttery smooth. Zorki is not.

jimjm · Oct 13, 2014

Looks like a Russian FED to me. Copy of a Leica II from the late 40's to mid 50's. See here http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/iannorris/leica_copies/leica_copies_f/fed6eng.htm .

Big giveaways are the mushroom-shaped shutter button guard and the raised area around the front of the VF window is square. Leicas were rounded on one corner.

I think these are pretty common, but the wood-grain covering may make it more collectable. Maybe worth $100 to a collector?

jimjm · Oct 13, 2014

Cameraquest has an example of one of these here https://www.cameraquest.com/leica_II_fake.htm .

David Allen · Oct 13, 2014

I see these very often at flee markets in Berlin.

They are engraved Leica and it is not wood-effect but rather wood!

If you start looking too closely the seller always angrily snatches it back.

Average price is 500€ but, to an uninformed buyer, they say "check Leica cameras with your start phone" and then say "you can have it for 250€".

Just a rubbish fake I am afraid.

Bests,

David
www.dsallen.de

summicron1 · Oct 13, 2014

hard to tell from your pictures, but I'm guessing it is a russian fake gussied up with a wood finish. I've seen that sort of camera with that sort of finish offered on fleabay quite often.

If your friend was offered $5,000 for it, the person making the offer is working another scam. If he does sell it for that, get the money up front, in cash, no checks or even postal money orders.

What's it worth? A Leica II (which that would perport to be, since the Russians copied that model, and this has no slow speeds and the widely-spaced view- and range-finder windows) is worth a few hundred dollars in original condition and working. This camera sells, from its Moscow/Ukranian rebuilder, for perhaps $150 on the bay, and is worth far less to a collector.

Having said that, Russian copies of Leicas don't have the smooth leica feel, but they do take pretty good pictures. the lens is a copy of the venerable Elmar, which does a good job.

Ricardo Miranda · Oct 13, 2014

the lens is a copy of the venerable Elmar, which does a good job.

The Russian lens marked as Elmar are actually Tessar designs. The same goes for the original Russian Industar-10, -22 and -50.

cliveh · Oct 13, 2014

When I first viewed this my thoughts were Eastern European fake. Take the lens off and look at the cam at the top of the body cavity.

250swb · Oct 13, 2014

It is a Russian fake, take the $5000 and run. Some sort of scam is being played out on you or your friend, and anybody on APUG who believes it, so actually best avoid anything to do with it.

Steve

ziyanglai · Oct 14, 2014

Thanks for the response guys, especially about the scam part. I'll let him know and see what he says - update coming soon. Just wondering... If this was a real Leica, how much does it worth?

darkosaric · Oct 14, 2014

ziyanglai said:
If this was a real Leica, how much does it worth?

As usual with Leica - worth is in direct correlation with number of samples produced.

cliveh · Oct 14, 2014

darkosaric said:
As usual with Leica - worth is in direct correlation with number of samples produced.

And condition and who owned it.

250swb · Oct 14, 2014

ziyanglai said:
If this was a real Leica, how much does it worth?

Next to nothing because it has been abused. Originality and condition is everything, so if it was a real Leica in great condition maybe $300 (there are a lot about), but if it had been given the horrible covering perhaps $125. As it is as a fake though perhaps $30 curiosity value.

Steve

paul_c5x4 · Oct 14, 2014

250swb said:
As it is as a fake though perhaps $30 curiosity value.

There are collectors of Leica fakes knowing exactly what they are and possibly able to tell you which Russian workshop it came out of. As always, the value is only as much as someone is prepared to pay.

analoguey · Oct 14, 2014

Wow. Thats something! Maybe they like how good the imitators are?

Sent from Tap-a-talk

John Koehrer · Oct 14, 2014

jimjm said:
Looks like a Russian FED to me. Copy of a Leica II from the late 40's to mid 50's. See here http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/iannorris/leica_copies/leica_copies_f/fed6eng.htm .

Big giveaways are the mushroom-shaped shutter button guard and the raised area around the front of the VF window is square. Leicas were rounded on one corner.

I think these are pretty common, but the wood-grain covering may make it more collectable. Maybe worth $100 to a collector?

Now if it was a Luxus he'd have something.

If he paid more than a couple of bucks for it he's the loser.

Richard S. (rich815) · Oct 14, 2014

The "mushroom" stem shutter button is the dead giveaway. Russian fake worth maybe $30-50. What does it matter what it would be worth if "real"? Is your friend going to try to scam someone who does not know any better?

Richard S. (rich815) · Oct 14, 2014

There's a load on eBay. Search for "Leica wood"...

mdarnton · Oct 14, 2014

Mushroom release rings were available for Leicas as aftermarket items, so that's not meaningful. The threaded hole in the release button is pure Russian, however.

Interesting pre-war Leica?

ziyanglai

ziyanglai

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency