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Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,Dear friends of Leitz Photographica Auction,Many of the groundbreaking innovations Leica has introduced over its more than 100-year history emerged from close collaboration with photography enthusiasts and professionals alike. This is most evident in the field of photojournalism, which Leica propelled into new realms throughout the 20th century with a wide range of technical advancements. As the auction house of Leica%u00a0Camera%u00a0AG, we are particularly delighted to bring this legacy into the spotlight at Leitz Photographica Auction 48.A standout highlight in this regard is the Leica MP black paint no. MP-33. With only 402 units %u2014just 141 of them in black paint %u2014 ever produced, the MP ranks among the rarest Leica cameras ever made. The concept for the MP originated from requests by prominent American pressphotographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt and David Douglas Duncan who sought to combine their M-series cameras with the advantages of the Leicavit rapid winder, then available only for the Leica IIIf. The example offered now, MP no. 33, was originally delivered to Brandt, Sweden, on 29 July 1957 and is accompanied by a matching black paint Leicavit and a black paint/ brass-mount Summicron 2/5cm lens no. 1474885. With only 261 units produced, the chrome-finished MPs are also hugely popular with collectors. A particularly interesting chrome MP %u2014 due to its distinguished provenance %u2014 will be offered at Leitz Photographica Auction 48. Delivered on 1 January 1958, the Leica MP no. 368 was documented as the personal camera of Tazio Secchiaroli. His dynamic and candid photographs of celebrities along Rome%u2019s Via Veneto in the late 1950s profoundly influenced modern photojournalism and even inspired the character %u201cPaparazzo%u201d in Federico Fellini%u2019s La Dolce Vita (1960). Said character would eventually lend its name to a new phenomenon in photography culture.Cameras set aside, Leica also left decisive marks in photojournalism by creating a variety ofaccessories to facilitate the work of reporters. Of these accessories, the E. Leitz New York Leica Gun RIFLE, is one of the rarest and most unusual. Inspired by Commander Attilio Gatti, arenowned wildlife photographer, the RIFLE was designed to reduce camera shake while handling telephoto lenses and was therefore often used to cover sports events. Estimates of the total production vary, but it appears realistic that a mere total of 12%u201314 E. Leitz New York Gun RIFLES were produced. Today, these rare outfits are dispersed among major collections worldwide.These and many other exceptional pieces will be presented in our auction on 13 June. We look forward to welcoming you at Leica World in Wetzlar! Sincerely,Alexander SedlakManaging Director