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84Leica M3 black paint %u2018The First%u2019The Leica M3 is one of the most iconic cameras ever produced by Leica. It was introduced in 1954 at the Photokina fair and quickly became the benchmark for 35%u2009mm rangefindercameras. Beginning in 1959, Leica started producing small batches of M3 cameras in black paint finish, the first official production batch comprising only 100 cameras with serialnumbers 959401%u2013959500. The camera offered here, no.%u2009959401, is the very first examplefrom this historic series. While a few black paint M3 cameras are known from earlieryears, these were produced only as special-order cameras and not as part of a regular production batch. The offered camera remains in excellent cosmetic condition and isin good working order. It retains all the desirable characteristics of the earliest M3 cameras, including the long strap lugs and the all-black base plate. As the very first camera ofthe first official black paint M3 production batch, this is arguably the most historicallysignificant black paint Leica M camera we have ever had the privilege to offer at auction.Starting price: %u20ac 40.000*Estimate: %u20ac 80.000%u2013 100.000Serial no.: 959401Year of production: 1959Condition: B/A