Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/07/18
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 07:35 AM 7/18/01 -0700, Frank Filippone wrote: >It is legal method of creating fair trade pricing ( setting standard SALES >rather than ADVERTISED prices), which is of course, against the law. If the >store claims they MUST sell at that price because the manufacturer states >so, that is a legal lie. In the early 1950's, the law then allowed manufacturers to set prices only on "complete sets". Thus, Leitz could dictate how much a camera store could charge for a Leica IIIf with a Leica 3.5/5cm Elmar. But this power to set the selling price died if the camera body was sold as a "part" -- thus, the explosion of non-Leitz LTM lenses which appear in this era. A Leica IIIf with, say, a 1.5/5cm CZJ Sonnar or 2/2" Cooke Amotal was beyond the scope of the law, and the dealer was free to set his own price. The large New York and Chicago stores of the era took full advantage of this, especially Willoughby and Peerless and Burke & James. Gee, maybe someone should write a book about these lenses! Marc msmall@roanoke.infi.net FAX: +540/343-7315 Cha robh bąs fir gun ghrąs fir!