Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/20
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 2/20/99 7:35:34 AM Pacific Standard Time, jbauman@earthlink.net writes: << Subj: Re: [Leica] Ebay beauties...black M3, MD-post + M6J +... Date: 2/20/99 7:35:34 AM Pacific Standard Time From: jbauman@earthlink.net (Jim Bauman) Sender: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us Reply-to: <A HREF="mailto:leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us">leica- users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us</A> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us CC: TTAbrahams@aol.com Tom A writes: >The strange M2 is a K-15S Tom, are you sure about that? According to Lager, "Leica illustrated history, vol. I, p. 200-201". These M2's occur between serial-number 1163150 and 1163770. The EBAY version is 1000 off the sequence! Do you have a book that gives a different range? Jim Bauman >> Jim, The K 15S was made in a reasonable large quantity, the number sequence given by Jim Lager is the major production. There are M2S/K15'th before and after that sequence. I have had a couple of these, one was within the sequence that Jim gives, the other one was very close to the Ebay version, this one came with correct lenses and the infamous US Military instruction sheet (which included the procedure on how to destroy the camera). It was also painted black over chrome. I restored that one and gave it to a friend of mine, who now has it with a 90/1 attached. I don't know if Leica will still convert M2's to M4 loading. They used to do it in the late 60's and 70's, but I have not tried to have one done for years, at least not by Leica/Solms. They also did nice conversions of chrome cameras to black paint - and this has really screwed up the collectors. "Is it real or is it a converted camera, or is it a home-made paint job". Leicas record keeping leaves a lot to be desired. The cameras are mechanical marvels, but the precision did not reflect in the paperwork. Leica was blissfully unaware that they were making collectibles and that future generations would drool over serial numbers. Often you have to go through the shipping documents to find out what was made, not the production lists. I have a 50DR Summicron that comes from a K 15S, its serial number indicate that it is made 2 years after they stopped production, it is in the 2 437 xxx range, the highest number recorded is otherwise 239x xxx. Again, the various authors of Leica books disagree on the origin of this lens, special order, mis-numbered or what? Tom A