[Leica] Leica No. 50353

[ealadner at comcast.net (Eric Ladner)]

I recently inherited my mother's camera, which I think is a Leica A 
(No. 50353). She bought it from a friend, a freighter captain, shortly 
after the end of WWII. He said that he had bought it from a refugee who 
needed money. She used it for decades, and it seems to function now, 
but the last person who worked on it, some years ago, told her "A lot 
of these parts are worn very thin--you really shouldn't be using it." 
(At an earlier repair, the old German technician opened it up and said, 
"Oh, those lovely brass gears...")

I know it's old, if only because I've been acquainted with it all my 
life, but I wonder if a knowledgeable person here can tell me a little 
about how early in Leica history it really is. I've put up a few 
pictures at

http://homepage.mac.com/eric_ladner/PhotoAlbum2.html

(My apologies for the on-camera-flash glare--it's all I can do with my 
current little digital camera.)

I'm not interested in selling it, and am curious about value only for 
insurance purposes. I'd mainly just like to know a little more about 
this old family friend.

Many thanks,
Eric