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Is this Nickle Elmar 35mm 3.5 unusual?


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I have come across one of these tiny gems- it seems a bit odd but it doesn't have a serial number? Or could it be hidden somewhere? Anyone know what year it might be? Is it odd? The glass appears to be multi-coated or at least coated...

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a closer view:

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Afaik, the s/n of the Elmars 35 has always been engraved on the large black front ring (see your second picture), very little and not easy to read (I need a lens to read my 182.311...) , but clearly absent in your item : two hipotesis, which would need a closer inspection to decide :

 

- Number has "disappeared" when the lens was dismounted for coating (from some details this doesn't seem to be one of the few coated postwar items) ... maybe the ring was repainted... or even remounted face-down... :unsure:

- This is an unnumbered item... many exist, but usually with "11 o'clock" knob and uncoupled (I presume yours is coupled.... has it also the "0" to indicate standard mount ?) ... anyway, some unnumbered Elmars with "7 o'clock" knob and coupling do exist (see lot 55  in this past auction : http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=62&L=1  and 61 in this one :http://www.westlicht-auction.com/index.php?id=62&L=1)

 

Anyway, this ought to be an item from the first '30s.

Edited by luigi bertolotti
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thanks Luigi,

 

I can't see any "0" marked anywhere? Where would that be? I don't think the rim has been repainted looking at it colosely there is no indication of a serial number below the black paint. I guess it could entrely fill the engraving though. The rim paint is however in good order- better than one normally sees: there is usually some brassing there.

 

The lens seems to be coupled but oddly it doesn't seem to couple correctly with my M240 but does couple on my IIF?

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James Lager writes in "Leica - an illustrated history Volume II - Lenses" p.15: "Beginning in 1932 rangefinder coupled lenses were fitted with an infinity lock, ...first at the 11 o'clock position, then by early 1933 at the 7 o'clock position. 11 o'clock lens lock release buttons occur in three styles: pin, square and domed. 7 o'clock buttons are domed. Chrome finish was introduced in 1933."

 

 

According to Thiele's list (3. ed. 2007) numbering for the 3,5cm Elmar started with 144.401 in 1932, numbers 101.001 - 101.004 were produced for a different camera ("Kaftan." ?).

 

So an unnumbered version (not later than 1932) with the domed button at 7 o'clock (not earlier than 1933) seems to be a sort of mixture - if the dates given by Lager and Thiele are right, which is not always sure. I can't see, if your lens has an infinity lock - if not this would even indicate that it's from before 1932.

 

It is not improbable that the lens was changed when it was coated after the war. The original 11 o'clock position may have been awkward since you couldn't use it with the IIIa as the button colllided with the camera's button for longer shutter times. This is just guessing.

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