Rare Leica camera could fetch £1m at auction

Rare Leica Luxus II Camera Likely To Reach £1m and More at Auction

The Leica Luxus II camera is gold plated and is the first camera of its type to be seen. Believed to be one of four such cameras ever made, this is the only surviving model of the camera and is easily one of the rarest cameras in the entire world.

Coming with a distinctive and ornate crocodile skin case, the value of the camera is put as £500,000 – £800,000. However, because of the trend followed by other Leica cameras, experts believe that it could fetch more than £1 at the auction. This would make this camera the most expensive camera sold in history.

The late owner of the camera was an amateur photographer and received it after World War II. It is unlikely that the owner knew about its worth or how valuable it would become in the future, and he used it throughout the 40s and the 50s.

The camera was discovered 12 years ago by Marc Allum who is an antiques expert and also, one of the presenters on Antiques Roadshow.

“Leicas are the best cameras, the 35mm film was developed by Leica,” Allum said.

“They used to make specialist editions and one-offs. This is one of four ever made, it’s probably one of the rarest Leicas in the world.
“The whereabouts of the other three are unknown. It might be the only one that has survived.

The rare Leica Luxus II would be at Bonhams until the 30th of October and then, it would be shipped to Hong Kong for the much spoken about auction on 22nd November.

On The Web:
Rare camera could become most valuable in the world

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/10402327/Rare-camera-could-become-most-valuable-in-the-world.html