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Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,Dear friends of Leitz Photographica Auction,2024 brings the 70th birthday of the Leica M. It is with great pleasure that we celebrate this special anniversary! In 1954, Leica introduced the M3 at the Photokina in Cologne, laying the foundation for one of the most renowned dynasties among system cameras The M is rightly considered a milestone in the history of photography, continuing to inspire generations of professional and amateur photographers to this day. It has remained a constant and welcome companion to our auction house, reliably piquing the interest of passionate collectors and photography enthusiasts.We are particularly delighted to honor 70 years of Leica M with a diverse array ofremarkable lots in Leitz Photographica Auction 44. Leading our highlights from the realm of M is a Leica MP2 black paint with the serial number 935509. The MP2 is amodified, professional version of the Leica M2, equipped with a special electric motor drive. It was produced in a test series of only 27 examples, of which merely 6(with serial numbers 935507–935512) were finished in black paint, making this particular MP2 one of the rarest Leicas known to exist. Leitz Photographica Auction 44 also features an absolute rarity among the M lenses. Ernst Leitz Canada (ELCAN) produced ten 1/90mm lenses designed by WalterMandler to special order for the US Navy and subsequently discontinued production.The offered lens is the seventh made and in beautiful, near-mint condition. The Leica M5 black 'Thomas Hoepker' will be of particular interest to bidders passionate about cameras from famous previous owners. The fact that the legendary German photographer Thomas Hoepker regularly used this M5 as a working tool is evident not least by its traces of use, which bear the artist's mark, so to speak, and thus constitute the very special charm of this fully functional camera.These and many other exciting lots await you in our catalogue, which—in keeping with the rediscovered and increasingly popular analogue trend in photography—we have published not only in digital form, but also put in print to offer you a haptically and visually compelling experience. We hope you enjoy browsing through the catalogue and look forward to welcoming you at the auction on June 8—on site in Wetzlar, online or on the phone! Yours sincerely,Alexander SedlakManaging Director