Hektor 28mmm f/6.3 - No Serial number, Help!

[kdemas]

I just bought a Hektor 28mm f/6.3 lens yesterday. The lens is in incredible condition, the lens (tiny as it!) looks coated. Here's the issue. I am trying to see when this piece was manufactured and there is no serial number anywhere on the item that I can find!

The little bakelite case it comes in has no numbers on it either (I had read that there may be a number on the bottom). This comes from a VERY reputable dealer.

Any ideas as to how I can identify this lens and it's production date would really be appreciated.

Kent

[doubice]

Originally Posted by kdemas

I just bought a Hektor 28mm f/6.3 lens yesterday. The lens is in incredible condition, the lens (tiny as it!) looks coated. Here's the issue. I am trying to see when this piece was manufactured and there is no serial number anywhere on the item that I can find!

The little bakelite case it comes in has no numbers on it either (I had read that there may be a number on the bottom). This comes from a VERY reputable dealer.

Any ideas as to how I can identify this lens and it's production date would really be appreciated.

Kent

Kent,

The 28mm Hektor was produced till 1955 so, yours, being coated, must be a late version. Mine is number 495675 and the number is on the rear mount. Here is a quick and dirty picture:

Best,

Jan

[luigi bertolotti]

Originally Posted by doubice

Kent,

The 28mm Hektor was produced till 1955 so, yours, being coated, must be a late version. Mine is number 495675 and the number is on the rear mount. Here is a quick and dirty picture:

Best,

Jan

Kent, the picture posted by Jan is definitely not "quick and dirty".. it illustrates well the "mistery" of the s/n... in low light, is really difficult to catch it. BTW, if your lens is coated, it's almost sure it's a postwar item: there is another important difference: the postwar item have the standard scale to f 22 (prewars had 25-18-12,5...) and the engraving is "f=2,8" vs. "f=2,8 cm" in prewars.
If it scales to 22, it's also rather rare... much more than the prewar brother.
Me too have that fine bakelite box... pity it's so strictly dimensioned to the lens that you cannot close it completely with the BM adapter fitted onto...

[luigi bertolotti]

And... in case you find the s/n but haven't documentation, me and many other can tell you year of production and numbers... as I said, in postwar the were very few (Jan's number is from 1939... 1157 Hektors produced... to give you an idea, in the last three year of production, 53-54-55, figures were 8-9-24...my one is 274691, from its year of birth, 1935, when a batch of 690 was built)

[jc_braconi]

Mine is from 1950, a 780xxx s/n in the front lens ring retainer engraved
Objectif LEICA Hektor 28 mm f/6,3 (1935-1953)

[luigi bertolotti]

... as always, JC, you force me to be more precise on my explanations... ... right, the position of the s/n is another difference between pre and postwars...