The 31st Westlicht camera auction takes place on June 10 and features a number of wonderful vintage Leicas. They include the three lots shown here — one of the first black-paint M3s, an M3 Bundeseigentum outfit and one of the rare Leica I Model A cameras fitted with the early Elmax lens.
Find more details and pictures here on Leica Rumors or at the Westlicht site.
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My one film collectible is a Leica IIIf red dot – incidentally bought two years ago from Red Dot Cameras. It wasn’t advertised as mint, but that’s the impression it gives, and it is like holding a precious jewel or a piece of history…….. Of course, it can also take photos (!) but to date I’m a hesitant learner.
The thing about collecting is that you either get it or you don’t. I was told by a dealer at the weekend that the collector market is ‘softer’ than it was some years ago. He might well have put it that it is less ‘over heated’ than it was 4 or 5 years ago. Markets go in cycles, of course and if you want to make money out of your collection, you need to understand those cycles and buy when the market is ‘soft’ and sell when it it heats up again. Leica has generally been quite good at holding value, unlike others, such as Nikon, which have lost a lot of value. Nikon could come back again, of course. A lot of collectors like myself just buy to collect, without an intention of selling at any stage. You have illustrated some of the top items in the auction, but there are many much more modest items up for sale, covering a wide range of photographic history.
William