Only 10 of these weird cameras are known to exist, and one could be yours for US$400,000

Wetzlar Camera Auctions has released the catalogue for its latest camera auction, aimed at serious collectors, on October 11, and boy oh boy does it have a delicious-looking roster of vintage goodies. The cream of the crop is arguably a Leica MP from 1956, with an eye-watering estimate of €350,000-450,000, which is approximately US$400,000-525,000 / £300,000-390,000 / AU$625,000-800,000.

The listing explains that what makes this camera particularly special is that it’s a black painted version, of which only 140 were ever made. The camera was delivered to New York on July 22 1957. Unsurprisingly for a nearly 70-year-old camera, this Leica is listed as “heavily used”.

From the imagery, you can see the metalwork is worn and patinated, and patches of leather have flaked off. But this camera is in “entirely original condition” and comes with a Summilux 50mm f/1.4 black paint, Leicavit MP (rapid winder), and original carrying strap.

According to mir.com, the Leica MP is “one of the most desirable & pricey Leica collectible camera body [sic] today.” The site attributes the camera’s scarcity to the fact that it was only made from 1956 to 1957, and due to its professional target audience, it was not present in standard Leica product catalogues. Indeed, the ‘P’ in MP stands for professional.

Another item that caught my eye was a Voigtländer Metal Daguerreotype Camera, with the third-highest estimate of €200,000-300,000, roughly $230,000-350,000 / £175,000-260,000 / AU$360,600-$535,000. Not only is this Victorian contraption extremely eye-catching, but it’s a bona fide piece of photographic history. As the listing details state, the Voigtländer Metal Daguerreotype Camera was the first metal camera ever produced, and up for auction is one of only 10 to 15 examples known to exist.

The listing also notes that the “rack and pinion drive and the rear lens element have probably been replaced at some point. The tripod is a later original Voigtländer replica.” Otherwise, this example is said to be “in extremely beautiful original condition, with no major dents or damage to the body or lens.”

But you don’t necessarily have to spend hundreds of thousands to acquire a piece of camera history. Right at the other end of the spectrum of the listings are items estimated to sell for less than €1,000 / $1,160 / £870 / $1,790, including a few Leica lenses and cameras.

You might also like...

Into old cameras? Check out the best film cameras and the best film for 35mm cameras. Plus, here's why the Nikon FM is the only film camera I'll ever need.