[Leica] Re: Canadian / Moss / An interesting M3 ? (long)

[Leikon35 <Leikon35@aol.com>]

 Yueming Hsin, etal  

 Your M3 is from a batch of 151 cameras manufactured at Midland,
 Canada in 1959.  After the fiasco with the 5,000 Canadian IIIf bodies
 made in Canada that nobody wanted because they associated Wetzlar
 with quality & didnt realize that the Midland plant set up by Gunther
 Leitz produced cameras & lenses of the exact same standards.

 All but approx. 283 of those Canadian IIIf's were given new top plates
 that said "E.Leitz Wetzlar".  Exactly the same thing happened with
 the IIIg's and it wasn't til years later that Leitz Midland engraved on 
 a Leica was accepted as quality.

 Even today there are many that erroneously think that a Leica made
 in Canada or even Solms for that matter, is not equal to one made
 at Wetzlar.  I would think that to compare the high tech but plastic
 products of today with the laboriously handcrafted merchandise of
 the past - would be like someone talking about the good old days -
 What was so good about them?

 As for the large 3 on the M3 - I don't know if it has any special 
 meaning;  You would be more likely to find out from Jim Lager
 who is considered to be the worlds foremost expert on Leica.  I
 spoke with Jim just last week, about an anomaly that I just picked
 up - a 1927 Elmar in a Compur Rapid shutter.

 There are many authentic Leica parts floating around - I recently
 purchased a new sealed M2 top, fully engraved except for the S/N.
 I needed it to replace a defaced M2R top that was otherwise mint.
 The top from mine was removed & sent to New Jersey along with
 the new one - Leica replicated the S/N and added the "R" for a fee
 of $56 and disposed of the old one (yah sure).  Would this M2R now 
 be called a counterfeit.  Recently a collection of new top & bottom
 plates & the engraving dies along with the engraving machine that
 was sent to Canada appeared in Japan, bought at a Swiss auction
 by a rich Leica collector who said he only bought it to keep it out of
 dishonest hands.

 Daaag,

 Marvin Moss
=======================================================
 In a message dated 98-01-20 19:40:29 EST, you write:
<< snip>>
   Besides, in the page 148, Ghester mentioned that;
 "Not only Leica cameras and lenses are out on auction 
 but so are spare parts as the cover of this Christie's catalog
  illustrates. However, some collectors fear that 
 the selling of these spare parts can facilitate the work 
 of Leica counterfeiters who recently have been more and 
 more active."  If it is true, how can I tell??
 
 Yueming Hsin 
  >>