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Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!Dear friends of Leitz Photographica Auction!This year, we are celebrating an important anniversary in the world of photography %u2014 one hundred years ago, the Leica I was presented to the general public. As the world%u2019sfirst serially produced 35 mm camera, it laid the foundation for photography as weknow it today. Together with its iconic follow-up models, it inspired generations of photographers and secured Leica a perennial place in the history of camera technology.We are delighted to present you with a variety of extraordinary highlights in thisauction catalogue, which are testament to the groundbreaking innovations of 100 yearsof Leica %u2026 and beyond.After all, the most outstanding lot of Leitz Photographica Auction 46, the Leica 0-serieswith the serial number 112, predates even the Leica I. As one of the few 0 series prototypesstill existing today, the 112 ranks among the rare cameras most coveted by collectorswith a taste for photography. It was given to Oskar Barnack, the inventor of the Leica 35 mm camera, in 1923 and will be auctioned with a copy of the delivery receipt.Fittingly for the 100th anniversary of the Leica I, our most distinguished lots include the hundredth camera produced within this significant series, a Leica I Mod. A Anastigmat. Delivered to the British advertising and marketing agency Ogilvy in 1925, the camera with the serial number 225 was probably the first Leica to arrive in the United Kingdom.Another highlight of our Century Auction is the Leica M3 with the serial number 700,000, which was presented as a gift to the renowned sports photography and skiing pioneer Stefan Kruckenhauser. Bearing the first serial number of all M cameras, this M3 is not only an exceptional collector's item, but has also been mentioned in numerous publications.Our current charity lot is also linked to a well-known name. British designerJohn Dowell aka King Nerd, famed for his engravings on luxury items, has transformed a Leica MP into an exclusive collector%u2019s item. In his unique style, Dowell immortalisedthe Leitz Park on the camera. All proceeds from the Leica MP will go to the Austrian charity organisation %u2018Licht ins Dunkel%u2019.We invite you to discover the fascination and heritage of Leica as we auction theseand many other exceptional pieces from the last 100 years at our Century Auction atLeica World in Wetzlar.May this anniversary not only honour the past, but also inspire the future of photography.Alexander SedlakManaging Director