Top prices were again achieved at the sixth Wetzlar Camera Auction last Saturday. The 248 lots included Christo’s Wrapped Leica, a pre-production Leica Model A from 1924 and the earliest prototype of the Leica IIIc from 1934.
Model A Anastigmat
Lot No.2, at the start of the auction, achieved an extraordinary result. A Leica model A with Anastigmat lens from 1924 was finally sold for €112,500 from a starting price of €40,000. This one-hundred-year old Leica camera was produced even before the Leica market launch at the Leipzig Spring Fair in 1925.
Only the first 150 pieces of the production Leica camera were made with the Anastigmat lens, before the lens´ designation was changed to “Elmax” (later “Elmar”). Most of these cameras were or upgraded in later years, which adds to the rarity of this particular item.
“We estimate that there are fewer than 25 cameras with the Anastigmat Leica still existing, in their original delivery condition,” said WCA co-owner Lars Netopil. The camera came from a European collection and was in a beautiful and original condition.
Some impressive results were once again achieved for particularly rare items.
Die-cast Leica III
The “first die-cast camera” (earliest prototype of the Leica IIIc from 1934) from the Leica inventor Oskar Barnack was finally sold for €562,500 after a starting price €160,000. The camera was the first experimental Leica camera, equipped with a rear door that opens upwards, as well as a fold-out rewind crank— details that were not introduced commercially until the Leica M3 (1954) and M4 (1967).
Other unusually high results were achieved for experimental Leica cameras from the 1950s: A Leica IIIg prototype with internal frame counter from 1956 was sold for €375,000 from a starting price of €80,000, while a Leica M3 prototype from 1953 fetched €300,000 after starting at €80,000.
Military appreciation
Impressive results were also achieved for rare Leica M cameras specially produced for the United States Military: A very rare Leica M2 in gray-blue lacquer finish from the US Air Force was sold for €325,000. Only 20 pieces of this camera were produced in 1960. An extremely rare Leica MS in hammer tone gray finish fetched an impressive €562,500. Just ten examples of that version were produced for the US Navy during the so-called “Cuban Missile Crisis” in 1962.
WCA co-owner Jo Geier said, “Compared with the serial production versions, some of the military Leica models were produced in extremely small quantities only. Furthermore, they were often carried out in special finish versions or even in different constructions, due to their special military application. This explains why the Military Leica cameras are a fascinating field for some collectors, and why we see exceptionally high prices sometimes achieved in this area.”
Christo’s Wrapped Leica
A true highlight of the WCA catalogue this time was Christo´s “Wrapped Leica” from the provenance of Christo-photographer Wolfgang Volz, who was also present in the room during the auction. After Volz had used the camera for several official documentations of Christo projects, Christo wrapped the camera as a present to “his” valued photographer, and so the camera became a wrapping object itself.
Lars Netopil: “For us, to have a Leica camera that is both an item for camera collectors as well as an important object in the art market, was something entirely new. We are delighted that with a sales price of €212,500, this piece went for well over double of its estimate”.
Lenses
Rare Leica lenses once again made up a particularly interesting section in the auction catalogue this year. A very early prototype of a Leica lens in M bayonet mount from 1949 was sold for an astonishing €175,000. A sample unit of the Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm ASPH “Leica M for (RED)” that started at €12,000 but went for a phenomenal €375,000, over 30 times the estimate, after an exciting bidding war.
Soviets and space
Besides Leica, some particularly impressive results were achieved for collectibles in other brands. Of these, some very rare pieces were produced in the former Soviet Union. An extremely rare Leningrad space camera with two matching lenses from 1967 was sold for €42,500.
“Space is a field which fascinates many collectors. Aside from the Hasselblad space cameras used by NASA, the cameras from the former Soviet space programs are exceedingly rare. If they turn up for sale at auction, very high prices can always be expected,” says Jo Geier.
Wetzlar Camera Auctions’ next auction will take place on October 11, 2025. Consignments are being accepted immediately. Information at www.wetzlarcameraauctions.com.
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Re: Military Appreciation
The so-called “Cuban Missle Crisis” happened in October 1962, not 1964.
You are right, of course. I will change it. Thanks for pointing this out.