Leica produce few special edition cameras. Which ones are the most desirable ? Why. Any technical and historical considerations are welcome. If you have the opportunity to get few models, what will be your first three choices. Thanks. Jean-Pierre Auger, Montréal, Canada.

-- Jean-Pierre Auger (paphoto@videotron.ca), February 06, 2002

Answers

i would like the one that turns into a robot.

-- Dexter Legaspi (dalegaspi@hotmail.com), February 06, 2002.

The only special edition Leica I would buy, if I had unlimited $$ to burn, would be the M6J.

-- Chris Chen (furcafe@NOSPAMcris.com), February 06, 2002.

Well, I would think that any of the "one of a kind" Leicas would be the most desirable. First for me would be Leica M3 #750,000 (HCB's camera); second would be Leica M3 #919,000 (Queen Elizabeth II); third would be Leica M3 # 1,000,001 (Alfred Eisenstaedt).

Since you specified only three, I had to leave out Leica M3 #980,000 (Dwight Eisenhower) and Leica IIIc #375,000 (Erwin Rommel). But there are more such as the Dalai Lama Leica IIIf #555,555. These are one of a kind and so would be the ultimate in rarity.

-- RP Johnson (rpjohnson2@mindspring.com), February 06, 2002.

Chris, I'm with you on the M6J. It appears to be the only one they put out that really has functional (as opposed to cosmetic) differences from normal production.

And if price to purchase is any metric it is probably the most desireable. When you balance the price to get one (around 7-8 grand w/2.8 50)against production of 1600 I think, it looks like the market votes this one in.

No doubt some will argue the MPs are in fact the most desireable. At 15-20 grand a copy now, it may be tough to refute. But I read your question as biased towards "using" the camera. Any one with an MP probably isn't putting too many rolls through it.

To RP. The cameras you mentioned were really not "special editions" of the kind Leica markets today. Actually they were normal production items that were culled out for presentation based only on the number of zeros at the end of their serial number. Only the one to the Queen was different, in that it had ERII and the British coat of arms engraved in the top plate.

Other than that they were "run of the mill" production. I dare say they probably made several passes through QA before shipment though!

Jerry

-- Jerome R. Pfile, Jr. (JerryPfile@msn.com), February 06, 2002.

What a silly question, the ones you don't have of course.

-- Pete (Leica_RF@yahoo.com), February 06, 2002.

R P Johnson: Which serial number did Albert Schweitzer receive?

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), February 06, 2002.

Schweitzer was presented with a IIf, serial # 575,000.

Jerry

-- Jerome R. Pfile, Jr. (JerryPfile@msn.com), February 06, 2002.

I actually have a couple of unique Leicas - each with their own distinctive markings (mostly dents, chips and worn-away black chrome). No other cameras exactly like them anywhere in the world - that's rare enough for me. 8^)

I have no idea which model is the 'holy grail' of collectors - the really rare and desirable. At one point I heard that 'fake' MP bodies were worth more than real MPs, just because there were fewer of the fakes than the originals. (OK Eliot, you can stop laughing now!)

If I were forced to buy 3 various "special edition" bodies I'd probably pick a LHSA Black paint M6TTL .85, an M6J, and one of the M4-Ps marked "PRESS" for the 1984 L.A. Olympics (with the current buffalo-hide platinum body as a distant fourth) - they at least have some practical/ aethetic features that appeal to me. Most of the colored-leather special editions look about as attractive as the tarted-up Russian fakes.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), February 07, 2002.