Wetzlar’s Leitz Photographica Auction is celebrating 20 years and its 40th auction. This year’s auction will feature a number of valuable cameras, including the highlight Leica 0-Series No. 105 produced in 1923.
The 0-Series, which was part of a batch of prototypes, only saw 20 examples, with only a dozen of them estimated to still be in existence today.
This camera, which set the standard for 35mm format film, was owned by Oskar Barnack, the inventor of commercial 35mm photography (his name can be found on the viewfinder). This exact example was sold in 2018 for a record-breaking $2,633,568 USD, which remains the highest price ever paid for a camera sold at auction.
A special gold-electroplated Leica MP with a black Elmar-M 1:2.8/50mm lens will be auctioned alongside Oskar Barnack’s 0-Series Leica. Both the camera body and the lens lack the typical engravings, indicating that the lens was reworked directly at Leica Camera AG in Wetzlar. Instead of the usual white paint engravings, this lens has gold-colored engravings to match the camera.
The proceeds from the sale of this lot will be donated to Austrian and, for the first time, German charities. For the full collection head over to the dedicated Leitz Photographica Auction.
Leitz Photographica Auction
Am Leitz Park 6, Leica World (2nd floor)
35578 Wetzlar, Germany
June 11, 2022 at 11am
