Page 44

4290 Leica M2 chrome %u20ac6.000Betriebskamerano. M2-2015, c.1958, condition B+ %u20ac 12.000 %u2013 14.000Very rare Leica M2 Betriebskamera (for intern use only), in good, original condition, top plate engraved %u2018Betriebsk. M2%u20132015%u2019, with body cap. By the end of the 1950s, Leitz Wetzlar had about 7,000 employees. Leica cameras were used also internally in various departments, where cameras were needed, and there was a well-organised camera lending service for temporary private use, as a courtesy to those members of the company, who couldn%u2019t or didn%u2019t want to afford a Leica camera. After the war, the term%u2018Betriebskamera%u2019 was used, beginning with Leica model IIIc. Not only in total sales, but also for internal use, the number of Leica M2 cameras was much less than of the M3 in proportion. A maximum of 82 Leica M2 %u2018Betriebsk.%u2019 cameras were completed, beginning with no. 2001.91 Leica M2 chrome %u20ac800no. 935246, 1958, condition B/A %u20ac 1.600 %u2013 1.800Chrome Leica M2, delivered to Manca, New York, on 15 September 1958, preserved in very good condition. Accompanied by an Elmar 2.8/50 mm no.1935524 and an original box with the serial number removed.92 Leica M2 chrome Button Rewind %u20ac1.000no. 946751, 1959, condition A%u2013 %u20ac 2.000 %u2013 2.400Beautiful first version Leica M2 with button rewind and no selftimer, early glass frame window, in mint condition, delivered on 26.06.1959, with body cap, note the unusual thin serial number engravings.93 Leica M2 chrome Button Rewind %u20ac600no. 956565, 1959, condition B+ %u20ac 1.200 %u2013 1.400Very interesting early button rewind knob version, in goodcondition, showing some scratches and light dents, originally a Leica M1 delivered to retailer Bauer on 05.08.1959 and later converted to M2, note the original top plate without Mdenomination before the serial number, rangefinder windowcut-out, unusual leather cover, with body cap.94 Leica M2 no. 988888 %u20ac5.000*no. 988888, 1960, condition B/A %u20ac 10.000 %u2013 12.000A very interesting Leica M2 with the striking serial number 9888888, manufactured in 1960. The original Leica engraving records confirm that no.%u20099888888 was assigned to a Leica M2 with selftimer. Leica occasionally reserved particularly attractive serialnumbers for special purposes, including presentation cameras and cameras intended for prominent persons or important customers. The delivery record for no. 9888888 is left blank, suggesting that the camera remained at the factory and was possibly intended for such a special recipient. The camera is preserved in original vintage condition and comes with a matching-period Leitz Elmar 2.8/5 cm lens. It is in good working order, with its main distinction being the exceptionally memorable serial number.95 Leica M2 %u2018Peter Loseries%u2019 %u20ac4.000*Experimental Camerano.1053924, 1964, condition B+ %u20ac 8.000 %u2013 10.000Peter Loseries was a long-time Leica engineer who worked at Leitz from the 1960s into the early 1980s, primarily in the field of shutterdevelopment. He was also involved in the development of the rapid-loading system, a feature reflected in several of his personalexperimental cameras. According to the Leica archives, theoffered camera was delivered on 10 April 1964 to %u2018Loseries Konstr.%u2019(Konstrukteur %u2014 engineer). For many years, it served as an internal experimental camera within the Leitz design department and was used for a variety of development and testing projects. From the 1970s onwards, the camera was extensively modified and fitted withan experimental rapid-loading system, Leica M4 framelines and a coupling for a motor drive, making it compatible with M4-2 motors. These modifications formed part of the ongoing development andtesting of new camera mechanisms at Leitz, ultimately leading to solutions incorporated into later production models, including the Leica M6.