[Leica] Leica IIIa kit

[pdzwig at summaventures.com (Peter Dzwig)]

Richard Coutant wrote:
> Somehow I managed to accidentally delete and send the last message all 
> at once...What I was saying was that earlier tonight I was asked to look 
> at a bag of Leica stuff that my friend Arthur had inherited - a IIIa 
> number 261667

261667 is a 1937 IIIa.

  in pristine condition, with absolutely sweet shutter, even
> the 1 sec humming along, and an Elmar in much different condition than 
> the camera, tarnished, pitted, peeling but good glass - an older one 
> with the 3.5/4.5/6.3/9/12.5/18 apertures.  As best as I could see with a 
> magnifier the lens number is 124167.  

124167 would be a pre-'30 lens, if I read the tables correctly.

Hove says:

"From 1931 in standardised ("O") version many different versions before and 
during wartime. European aperture scale, last version international scale. 
Some 
versions with finer spacing of focussing scale."

I told him that the only
> explanation I could think of was that the lens was a later wartime or 
> postwar item with the finish problems typical of that era.  I have no 
> lens number resources - does anybody know how old this is?  In the bag 
> was also a 9cm/f4 Elmar number 165147 

165147 would seem to be about 1933 (Hove 7th edition p272).

in perfect condition with both
> front and rear metal caps, and an E. Leitz New York complete illustrated 
> price list from March 1939.  Along with a bunch of Kodak filters and an 
> Argus brochure(!)   What a pretty set.  I told him to buy some film.
> 

Do others agree with the above?

Absolutely agree, these are still usable cameras and live if they are used.

Peter Dzwig