Wstecz

37th Leitz Photographica Auction: Leica lens achieves world-record bidding price

At the auction on November 21, 2020, the prototype of the Vario-Elmar-M 28–75mm f/3.5–5.6 ASPH. (lot no. 271) reached a bid price of 240,000 euros incl. premium – making it the most expensive Leica lens ever sold at an auction! The auctioned lens is one of only three existing Vario-Elmar-M lenses. It was intended as a universal lens to replace the Tri-Elmar 28-35-50. However, the project was abandoned due to the complexity of the mechanical and optical design. Only three lenses met the high standards of the Leica engineers and were completed.

The most exciting bidding war was sparked by the Leica MP 10323 ‘Meister Edition Berlin’ (lot no. 225). The auctioned model was one of ten cameras built in 2017 to mark the tenth anniversary of Leica Store Berlin. Listed at a start price of 7,000 euros, the camera finally went under the hammer for 78,000 euros incl. premium.

Many other Leica items also achieved top results. Examples include the Leica MP black paint 10799 ‘70th Anniversary Republic of Korea’ (lot no. 223)with a sales price of 84,000 euros incl. premium, as well as the Elcan 2/66 mm (lot no. 266) with a sales price of 90,000 euros incl. premium, and the Leica M3 olive Double Stroke Bundeseigentum (lot no. 169), which sold for 60,000 euros incl. premium.

Another outstanding result was achieved by a Voigtländer Daguerreotype camera from the year 1840 (lot no. 555) with a sales price of 192,000 euros incl. premium – making it the second-most expensive lot at the auction.

The auction house once again contributed one auction lot in support of a charitable cause: the Leica M-P Rolf Sachs ‘Grip’ Edition (lot no. 224) changed hands for an impressive 20,400 euros incl. premium. The proceeds will be donated to Licht ins Dunkel, Austria’s leading humanitarian aid campaign.

‘Leitz Photographica Auction’ is one of the world’s leading auction houses for classic and vintage cameras and photographica, and is now firmly established on the international scene. A rare example of the Leica 0-Series produced in 1923 was a sensational highlight at the auction in 2018. The camera achieved a record-breaking hammer price of 2.4 million euros and still holds the record for the highest price ever paid for a camera sold by auction.

For further information visit www.leitz-auction.com

Press Release - 37. Leitz Photographica Auction
English
Format
pdf (221.35 KB)
Image

Leica Camera – A Partner for Photography

Leica Camera AG is an international, premium manufacturer of cameras and sports optics. The legendary reputation of the Leica brand is based on a long tradition of excellent quality, German craftsmanship and German industrial design, combined with innovative technologies. An integral part of the brand's culture is the diversity of activities the company undertakes for the advancement of photography. In addition to the Leica Galleries and Leica Akademies spread around the world, there are the Leica Hall of Fame Award and, in particular, the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA), which is considered one of the most innovative sponsorship awards existing today. Furthermore, Leica Camera AG, with its headquarters in Wetzlar, Hesse, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal, has a worldwide network of its own national organisations and Leica Retail Stores.