Leica M4-P Mount Everest

[Ivar B]

I may get a chance to get a Leica M4-P Mt. Everest, of which 200 were made in 1982 to commemorate a Canadian Mt. Everest expedition, if I remember correctly.

Does anyone know if there is any collectors interest in this model?

[luigi bertolotti]

Ehy, Ivar, your collector's career is going strong... why do not you concentrate on lenses (they are my favorites... ) ?
Seriously speaking : in my opinion, the breed of "special" & "commemorative" bodies is NOT a so good field for collecting, both in terms of, say, "passion" and "investiment"; let me explain my point of view (strictly personal, I repeat):

- "passion" : for me, the interest is when you find an item that was anyway produced by "the COMPANY" as a camera FOR USE : your interesting M4-2 chrome was sold to someone who wanted a M4-2: probably he/she decided it preferred it in chrome, and it was possible to have it so... few were in this mood at that times, so it's a rare item; the same way, the M4-KE7A was built for a specific US Army bid... a limited batch... and things went in such a way that a respectable numbers, years after, reached the market; going back to LTMs... the IIIck with its unique ball-bearing system on the shutter, the 250 with its monstruos spools... both were made for specific use, and, later again, the MP, the M4-M... The "Everest", so as the "monaco 72", the "LHSA", the "Columbus" are at all standard bodies, with an add-on engraving: we are in the field of marketing / sponsoring / celebration... to give some people something that has a flavor of uniqueness... but Leitz/Leica didn't put something of their technical skill to them.

- "investiment" : let me say that the "special engraved series" story turned into a sort of "inflation model" in the timeframe about '80 - '05 : leica was struggling, passionate buyers anyway existed, and they produced an indecent numbers of them... I quoted some above, but there were also the "Sultan of Brunei", the "Jaguar" the "ein stuck" the "1913-1983" the "Gold Barnack" the "Royal Photo Austria" ... frankly, traditional Leitz lovers got simply sad seeing how their icon seemed to turn into a sort of manufacturer desperately trying to affirm its prestige throwing out special items for anyone who could guarantee a decent batch to be built. My idea is that some of the very first examples (say, the "Monaco 72" or the "50 Jahre") can maintain, in the years, a certain add-on value, but the "Everest" in my op., belongs already to the "inflation era" (it's of '82)... I do not think of a good value in the future. In Cameraquest site there is an ALMOST complete list of the "specials" of that era... an impressive look.

Of course, Ivar... it's always a matter of taste & price... if I should find an Everest for, say, 20 max 25% more than a comparable M4-P, maybe I'll buy it... after all, it's a good M4-P... a camera that has anyway a place of its own in the story... the last of the M4; it will retain a value for this... and in the years one can forget the plus spent on, and still have the satisfaction of something special in his hands.

Final annotation on the Everest... you surely know they had a specific guarantee certificate... of course it MUST accompany the item... for what I know, there wasn't a specific numbering of the "Everest batch" (I saw a 1.582.xxx); I think that engraving is easier to fake than the guarantee card...

[telewatt]

I think the same like luigi...

all the "special series" of the 80th and 90th" are not shure to become "really collector items" in the future..

..I would never buy a camera only thinking in this term!...If you like it, buy it, but do not think to much on future values...

regards,

Jan

[jc_braconi]

Luigi,
Excellent plea !

[luigi bertolotti]

Thanks, JC, I knew you'd appreciate...

[imported_peter_m]

Good post Luigi.

Maybe the Everest dose have a special lube and is extremely cold hardy.... but then my regular M6 hasn't missed a beat at - 30

Peter

[Ivar B]

Thank you all for your feedback.

Luigi no doubt has a point. I found some examples of trades involving the Mt Everest yesterday, and prices were not high. Maybe this camera really belongs to the Franklin Mint group of Leicas, like the ridiculous Danish Wedding or Øresundbroen or something.

[luigi bertolotti]

Originally Posted by Ivar B

Thank you all for your feedback.

Luigi no doubt has a point. I found some examples of trades involving the Mt Everest yesterday, and prices were not high. Maybe this camera really belongs to the Franklin Mint group of Leicas, like the ridiculous Danish Wedding or Øresundbroen or something.

Exactly what I think... "maybe" ... the first I mentioned (Monaco - 50 jahre) belong to the time in which specials were really specials, linked to significant moments for Germany (that in '72 had still the illusion to be the kingdom of photo equip.) or for Leitz (I turned 50 last year... well was a celebration day...), the ones you mentioned belong to the "degenerative" last phase... Everests are in the middle... not so ridiculous...

P.S. my English is not so good to understand "Franklin Mint" ... this forum has already allowed me to learn nice acronyms (ROTFLAMAO & co.)... can you explain me ?
And.. what do you think about the "final" hammer struck on your M4-2 chrome ? Came from a compatriot...

[ChadHahn]

Franklin Mint is an American company that makes "collectibles". Commemorative plates, coins and figurines are a few of their items. They lead the customer to believe that these items will increase in value but they can often be found in thrift stores.

Chad

[jc_braconi]

Originally Posted by luigi bertolotti

And.. what do you think about the "final" hammer struck on your M4-2 chrome ? Came from a compatriot...

I do not like to shoot on ambulances but...
here is a good beginning for forgeries if you are involved on :
1875 LEICA M4 -2 CHROME TOP UNUSED NO WINDOS en vente sur eBay.fr (fin le 08-Mar-08 18:14:31 Paris)

Stay tuned !