Leica Luxus

[firkin@netconnect.com.au (Alastair Firkin)]

Dear LUG,
=46ate is a funny thing. I was reading an old magazine at work from 1980. It
contained an article on a recently discovered Leica. I've scanned the major
bits in;
< A strange time-link exists between the construction of the Sydney Harbour
Bridge and the launching of the world's favourite precision camera, the
Leica. In 1913 Dr. Bradfield's plan for a can-tilever bridge across the
Harbour was accepted. Commencement was delayed by the advent of World War
1. In the small town of Wetzlar, near Frank-furt, Oscar Barnack produced
his first pro-totype of what was to become the Leica - also in 1913. 1923
saw the commencement of work on the bridge. In Wetzlar, the first 31
pre-production models of the Leica saw daylight. Come 1930 - and the two
halves of the bridge were joined for the first time - that's in Sydney. In
Wetzlar, the same year, a product emerged from the Leitz factory so totally
at odds with the economic and political times in Germany, it still
surprises people at its mention today, the gold Leica Luxus.
Leica had been selling cameras for only five years, so it's a point of
wonder that they should produce a limited edition model so soon after
entering the market place. The Leica Luxus is basically the Leica Model 1
body with some additional touches: all metal parts were gold plated, the
skin covering was lizard, coming in green, blue, red or brown - and the
camera case was finished in crocodile skin with appropriately matched
colour. It is understood that at first only 15 were made, serial numbers
34803 to 34817, but over the next two years others were made, bringing the
total to 87 in number - which makes them very, very rare. Some were given
to  Emperors,  politicians  and diplomats. Very few have survived and
obviously are a high point in a collector's experience. [snip]
I saw him next morning. There it was, as described, a gold Leica. The gold
was quite beautiful, being treated in a matt finish. It had worn in parts
where the plat-ing had worn with use - approximately 60% remained. The skin
covering was lizard, the colour of ox blood, and in perfect condition.
Everything was like a fairy tale - one of the world's rarest cameras
turning up in Australia, exactly 50 years after it was made. The camera's
recent hist9ry was that it had been brought back to this coun-try from
Europe at the end of World War II by an Australian soldier and used as a
family snapshot camera ever since. [snip]
To authenticate it was the pressingly important task which I then
undertook. First to Leitz and the generous help of Keith Dunn at their
Sydney base. Under the stereo microscope at 40x the engrav-ing was
carefully inspected. First, a careful scrutiny of the speed dial, which
revealed some surprising things when each number showed little differences
to its neighbour, in positioning and engrav-ing qualities.
The serial number was the critical one. As the camera body was carefully
moved under the twin optics of the Wild micro-scope the number 3 came into
view, then 4, and 8 - all looked in harmony with figures on the rest of the
body. All showed the same peculiarities of engraving. 8 was followed by an
0, then 3. The microscope was put away and some Leitz manufacturing records
carefully inspected. The number 34803 was listed as the first production
model - if authentic, it was a remarkable find.
Next trip was to the metallurgists' to check on the gold plating. After a
nervous trip to the other side of Sydney I was in no mood to wait another
two hours while various couples had old jewellery tested for gold content.
Some won - some lost. The most convincing wedding ring often lost face
under the acid test, resulting in disappointed groans and a bemused smile
by the chemist. The Leica's turn eventually came. One spot of nitric -
aaagh! Hitting a brassed area it fizzed violently, and I asked for it to be
cleaned off quickly. Then after a calming gulp of air I requested a test on
four known, plated areas: both sides of the base plate, the front edge and
on the top plate next to the speed dial. The acid was applied with a
straightened paper clip, dropping a spot about the size of a full stop. The
result - nil. The plating was gold.
It would seem that the camera was genuine. Leitz of course, could not do
any more or give any more assurance while the metallurgists could only
assure that it was gold. The little gold and brown camera, I'm sure,
stopped holding its breath and at last felt it could poke its f3.5 Elmar up
into the world with pride, and take its place along-side the other rare and
classic cameras. A rare find for Australia - and you can rest assured it
will stay in Australia. >  [Barry Smith; Australian Photography Directory
1980-1]

Last night, I attended the opening of the Melbourne International Festival
and visited the "Leica Magic Moments" travelling exhibition [the one I had
missed in Chicago a year ago] and scattered around the room were glass
cases of cameras, and on the walls the beautiful series of images selected
for this exhibit. I had hoped to see the Leica R8, but then in the far
corner ---- yes a small gold plated Leica. The card read simply Leica Luxus
with none of this history,  and I would not have had any idea of its rarity
had the old magazine not been sitting on the top of the pile earlier that
day. I wrote down the serial number, it being 34803 of course and explained
to my wife my sudden excitement. Later after taking some evening snaps of
the street performers with the M3 and 1000ASA film, I noted the other half
of the exhibit in another building and of course [when you are hot] the R8
was on show. Quite an evening ! I do like the shape of the R8 though it
looks a bit bulky, but it was not a patch on the Luxus ;-)


Alastair