Leica camera snapped up for $2.18M at Westlicht auction
Only four of these Leica cameras (M3D-1 to M3D-4) were produced, this one for American photographer David Douglas Duncan.It sold for $2.18 million. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Westlicht Photographica Auction.
VIENNA, (AFP) – A custom-built Leica camera that once belonged to influential American photographer David Douglas Duncan fetched more than 1.6 million euros at a Vienna auction Saturday.
Duncan used the 1955 black M3D Leica when he worked for Life magazine. The final sale including fees was 1.68 million euros ($2.18 million).
Leica built the camera specially for Duncan, according to the Westlicht photo gallery, which ran the auction in the Austrian capital.
Its estimate had been between 250,000 and 300,000 euros.
Duncan is best known for his combat photos, including pictures taken during the Korean and Vietnam wars, and his close friendship with Pablo Picasso.
Saturday’s sale also included thousands of NASA vintage photographs and slides that went for 200,000 euros.
Another batch of photographs of Russia’s space exploration was sold for 60,000 euros.
ADDITIONAL IMAGE OF NOTE
Only four of these Leica cameras (M3D-1 to M3D-4) were produced, this one for American photographer David Douglas Duncan.It sold for $2.18 million. Image courtesy of LiveAuctioneers.com Archive and Westlicht Photographica Auction.
