[Leica] was now New Orleans now my used story

[sonc.hegr at gmail.com (Sonny Carter)]

On 5/4/07, Christopher Williams <leicachris@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>
>
> We've not had a large Leica dealer since the 70's. First Leica dealer that
> I know of in New Orleans was 1933.


I need to see if Alfredo is still living in Metarie.  He lived in a
neighborhood near Causeway and  Vets.  I worked for a while for an ad agency
across the street from his shop, and we got to be pretty good pals.

New Orleans used to have a large supply of used equipment, but the flood did
> that in. Or we're hoarding.


Yeah, I'd often spend Saturdays making the rounds of the camera stores and
pawn shops.  There  was a pawn shop near Jeffery's wife's store that had an
M4 with a 21 mm Lens.  They were asking a fortune for it ,  I think $1500.
(1985)  It sat there for half a year, and I resisted.  Then I came up with
the cash, and they had sold it!

I bought 5 used Leicas in
> one summer about 6 years ago.


I saw an ad in the Times Picayune for a damaged M4-2. As is.  It seemed some
one took vise grips to the rewind, as they couldn't figure how to rewind the
stuck film.

Turns out I knew the guy; he had acquired it from a med student. He wanted
$250 for the camera.   It was perfect except for the grotesque chewed off
rewind wheel.

I really didn't have the money, since it was nearly Christmas, but I asked
him if he would take a D.H. Holmes Department Store Gift Certificate.  (I
had an in-house credit card)

He said yes, siince it could make for a better Christmas.

I had a camera, but no M lens.  I had a III f with a Summaron 35.  I was
over at a friend's house, who is a really good Commercial Photog.  We
chatted about my new acquisition, and he told me he owned a Summilux M.

It didn't take us long to decide to make a swap.  Camera/lens for lens.

I sent the M4-2 off for repair, and it came back looking wonderful.

That was my kit for a couple years, until I went to one of those swap table
things.  I met a  dealer.who had a beautiful 35mm Summicron.  We made a
swap. 50 Summilux for 35 Summicron.  Old for newer.

The fervor began, and I acquired some more stuff, including a Minolta CLE.

That got stolen along with the 35 Summicron  (at a diocesan convention,
Brian.)  I used the insurance money to buy a new M6, and a used 28mm from a
real estate executive who had an M2 and an M4 and a rough 35 summicron..  I
should have bought them all, but, I really needed to eat that month..

That's  part of the story, Chris, you now own the 28mm. There's more, but
that's all we need now.

SonC