[Leica] Question re SM to M Adapters weird one has SN engraved by Leitz

[mak at teleport.com (Mark Kronquist)]

And Marc whom shall I ask about questions about an old firearm
On Feb 11, 2009, at 10:25 PM, Marc James Small wrote:

> At 12:07 AM 2/12/2009, Mark Kronquist wrote:
> >Just one an auction for a 135 Hektor on ebay (needed one) it had a SM
> >to M adapter on (okay Mark where are you going with this)
> >
> >The real Leitz SM to M adapter has a LENS SN engraved on it 824476
> >(appx 1950) factory done. BTW Lens SN is 655xxx (appx 1948) not same
> >as the adapter.
> >
> >Never seen this before. Why?
> >
> >Back of adapter is engraved with 16073 which I assume is the part
> >number but not present on many of my other adapters.
>
> This is fascinating.  I have a number of Leitz LTM to MBM adapters  
> and some have those six-digit numbers.  It never occurred to me  
> that those would be lens serial numbers.  We discussed this in some  
> depth early on in the LUG days and never reached a resolution.  You  
> might well be right!
>
> 16073 does not seem to be a legitimate Leitz bestellnummer.  I  
> would suggest that the adapter belonged to Ted Grant and that this  
> was his Driver's License number but then I remembered that King  
> Edward VII had awarded him Canadian Drivers' License #1 back in  
> 1905, and a box of cigars to boot.  Said Good King Albert, "I was  
> shocked that someone that old should be entrusted to operate  
> something as dangerous as one of these flivvers but, by damn, if  
> those Colonials in the frozen Northlands feel that someone of his  
> years can be trusted, well, my constitutional duty says that I must  
> give it to him.  So, here you are, Ted!"
>
> But, then, Julius Caesar told Ted a similar tale when he awarded  
> him the Roman Teamster License I back in XLVI BC.
>
> Seriously, I had never thought that the six-digit number was a lens  
> serial number but that is quite possible, and the penny drops.  I  
> may have more of these, or maybe I've sold them over the years, but  
> the one ring I can put my hands on on short notice is a 5cm ring  
> marked 781871 on the front and 3941 on the back.  None of my other  
> rings seem to bear markings of any kind.
>
> Marc
>
>
> msmall@aya.yale.edu
> Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!
>
>
>
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