Friday 7 May 2010

Leica Camera

Drove all the way up to Lichfield the other day, to an auction. There was a pair of Leica cameras 2 to 3 hundred estimate and i thought  i was in with a chance. When i saw the 'lot' though I knew I would not be able to buy them because of what I saw.
It would of been a Leica collectors wet dream, i don't collect cameras but can see the attraction but this was some 'lot'. The auction photograph or description did not do it justice, Leica iiig, Leica iig some adapters and so on. In fact what it did consist of was a nice purpose made case, i did not look to see makers name, and it was jammed packed full of goodies.
I am no Leica expert and have only just started to think about collecting them and just by looking I knew this would of been a good start. At three hundred I would of struggled to of kept all of it and when it sold for 850 i was gutted. i wish i could of 'phoned a friend' to of loaned me more cash.
The one camera with the lens and a couple of pieces could of fetched 2920 euros at least, in fact one did in an auction in Vienna the other week. Damn, damn damn someone got a very 'lucky' find and i can just imagine their surprise when it arrives, lucky so and so.
The one thing I did think though would of been how hard it would of been to part with this lot. I was surprised how small they were, lens and all. You would think that after buying and selling cameras for the past year or so i would learnt this earlier. But there you go, I can say without doubt that having handled many cameras, I was amazed at how tactile these were and to an amateur I can see what all the fuss is about.
Maybe one day I will own a nice collection of Leica's but until then will console myself browsing through auctions and just seeing whats out there - http://www.the-saleroom.com/Catalogues/List.aspx?eventId=2793372
Below is a photo of a Asahi Pentax Lens Hood i picked up at a car boot the other week, will have to ebay it soon all funds will go to my 'Buy Myself a Leica' budget.

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