This time we are able to offer two Leica-highlights which will be hard to top: the O-series Leica no. 107 and one of two existing original gold-plated M3s!
In 1923 Leica inventor Oskar Barnack built a small series of about 20 cameras by hand to test out his revolutionary design. The Leica 107 was the 7th camera of this legendary production run. It was shipped to New York for the US patent application and it is therefore also the first-ever Leica to be exported. Never before has a comparable camera been sold at auction and we are certain that it will be able to achieve a world-record result for a Leica.
The next lot of equal significance and exclusivity is the gold plated Leica M3 no. 834000 which was produced by Leitz in 1956 and delivered to New York that same year. Only two cameras with this gilt finish are known to exist, but until now it has never been available for sale. The staring price will be Euro 30,000.
These two exceptional cameras almost put our further selection of scarce Leica items in the shadow: next to sought-after classics like the 250 GG Reporter, MP Chrome, M3 black and an Leica 72, this auction will see an extremely rare M6 from the 'Sheikh Al-Thani' edition, a prototype double-8 Leicina with clockwork motor (starting price 7.000 Euro) and an exceptional Leitz military binocular periscope dating from 1940.
The range of rare Japanese cameras covers a Nikon F High Speed for 9 exposures per second which was produced for the 1964 Olympics, a selection of scarce Nikon viewfinder cameras including a sensational Nikon stereo outfit (starting price 25.000 Euro), a Canon Hansa from the first Canon series and the legendary Canon 1950 'Skinner'.
We are also very pleased to be able to offer the first part of an extensive stereo collection. Next to a handpicked collection of rare and exclusive viewers from the early days of photography, cameras and early stereo prints will be auctioned.
