Rare Leica collection goes under the hammer, with items starting at just $50

A remarkable collection of vintage Leica cameras and accessories go under the hammer in Chicago this month, marking the 100th anniversary of the iconic German camera brand, with estimated prices ranging from $50 to tens of thousands.

Tamarkin Rare Camera Auctions' 44th sale, scheduled for November 15, stands out from typical high-end Leica auctions by offering genuine accessibility. While headline lots include pristine examples of the legendary Leica MP and rare wartime cameras, the 359-lot catalogue is packed with affordable collectibles that won't break the bank.

For photographers curious about Leica history, the auction includes promotional materials, display stands, and accessories starting at $50-$100. Vintage neckties, lapel pins, and even a 1975 "50 Year" anniversary banner offer ways to own a piece of Leica heritage without spending thousands.

Even more substantial items remain surprisingly accessible. Several working Leica III cameras from the 1930s carry estimates of $700-$1,500, while complete camera sets with lenses and accessories often fall within $1,000-$2,000; reasonable prices for vintage equipment that could still capture images today.

Centenary connection

Auction house owner Dan Tamarkin has curated this sale specifically to celebrate Leica's 100th anniversary. The company first debuted its first 35mm camera at the 1925 Leipzig Spring Trade Fair, where Oscar Barnack's revolutionary "small film camera" transformed photography by proving that compact cameras could produce large, high-quality prints.

The crown jewel of the sale is Lot 359: a 1925 Leica I (Model A) with its original Elmax lens, serial number 456. This museum-quality piece, estimated at $17,500-$22,500, represents one of the earliest production Leicas and comes complete with its original lens cap and presentation box.

Photography enthusiasts will find numerous optical curiosities, including a 65mm Picker X-Ray lens adapted for modern cameras ($1,500-$2,500), the ultra-rare 50mm "Compur Summicron" with built-in shutter (fewer than 60 made), and various prototype lenses never widely released.

The auction features cameras from Leica competitors, too, including early Nikon rangefinders, Rollei twin-lens cameras, and even a Chinese "Red Flag 20"; a government-commissioned Leica copy with fewer than 200 examples produced.

A significant portion of the catalogue, meanwhile, documents a darker chapter in photographic history. Dozens of cameras and lenses bear engravings like "Luftwaffen-Eigentum" (German Air Force property) or "Wehrmacht Heer" (Army Forces), having served in World War Two.

The catalogue also highlights the Leitz family's own wartime heroism. While manufacturing military equipment under Nazi conscription, Ernst Leitz II deliberately hired Jewish workers and transferred them to safety at the company's New York factory; an operation later called the "Leica Freedom Train" that saved hundreds of families. His daughter Elsie was imprisoned for helping Jewish women escape to Switzerland.

How to bid

For collectors and photographers alike, this auction offers a rare opportunity to own functional pieces of photographic history; not just to display, but potentially to use. After all, many of these century-old Leicas still work perfectly, a testament to the precision engineering that made the brand legendary.

Bidding opens at 10am Central Time on November 15. Online bidders pay a 24% buyer's premium, while floor and telephone bidders pay 19.5%. All items sell "as-is" with no returns, though many have been recently serviced. You can view the full auction catalogue here.

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