Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Howard Cummer <cummer@asiaonline.net> asked: >I have checked Stephen Gandy's site about serial numbers and can't find when the serial number range on the M6s changed to indicate the move from Wetzlar to Solms and the change from Leitz to Leica on the camera. Grateful if someone could help with the answers, Howard, this is a difficult question to answer, for several reasons. First of all, as your own posting demonstrates when you say "I am the original owner of a Wetzlar made M6, serial # in the 170 range", some owners are coy in giving the serial number of their hardware. You’re asking for information which can only be obtained if a sufficient number of owners give out information on their own serial numbers, yet you’re not giving out your own! The biggest problem in answering your question is that there does not seem to have been a ‘neat’ transition from Leitz to Leica markings. The lowest serial number I know for a "Leica"-engraved M6 is 1710838. This camera was featured in an M6 brochure, but was probably built (or modified) specially for this role. My own 1713353 is from the third batch of chrome M6s, and has Leitz markings and badge, but 1714279 from the same batch has "Leica" markings and badge. The highest serial number I know for a normal production "Leitz" M6 is 1726xxx (the owner did not give me the full number), which is one of a batch of 4,000 black M6 cameras whose serial numbers were released for use on 3 July 1987. The highest M6 of any kind that I know to have had Leitz markings is 1738886, which was one of the "LHSA 1968-1988" commemorative batch. Regular production of "Leica"-engraved M6s probably began some time in 1998. The formal opening of the Solms plant was in July of that year, but it is likely that production was under way at the new facility before the official opening. When camera production started at Solms, early examples still had the traditional Leitz engraving and red badge. I’d be interested in hearing (off-list) from the owners of M6, R5 and R6 cameras with serial numbers between 171x,xxx and 176x,xxx. If I can get more data, it may be possible to determine the point at which regular production of all three types switched from Leitz to Leica markings. Regards, Doug Richardson