On November 18th 2006 the hammer will be swung at a WestLicht Photographica Auction for the 10th time. To mark this jubilee a selection of 200 lots from the famous Spira Collection will be auctioned in addition to our usual offering of high quality rarities and collector’s items. This incunabula of photo history will be most interesting to both private collectors and institutions.
Just to name some of the outstanding lots originating from the Spira Collection that will be up for sale at this auction: there will be one of the earliest American Daguerreotype cameras dating from 1842, “The Kodak” from 1888 in it’s original wooden box, a Spirograph motion picture viewer, an autograph letter by Daguerre, a Tri-Unial Magic Lantern and high quality selections of stereo cards, Magic Lantern slides and „Stanhope“ miniature photographs.
Also included in the sale from various owners would be a hand picked compilation of important early Leica cameras including Anastigmat, Elmax, Compur, etc., a private Contax collection including many prototypes and a collection of Hasselblad rarities such as an original Lunar Camera, one of the earliest Hasselblad 1600, Hasselblad production samples and prototypes. In addition to the photo-historical highlights from the Spira Collection there will also be one of the most spectacular kaleidoscopes crafted by the clockmaker William Leigh and an unique Japanese lacquered Graphoscope containing a set of 100 early albumen prints of Japan.
