blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Share #1 Posted August 17, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Please help to understand if is it real or fake Leica. For me the engraving looks real strange. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/249049-real-or-fake-leica-kripo-chemnitz/?do=findComment&comment=2872918'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 17, 2015 Posted August 17, 2015 Hi blazeee, Take a look here Real or fake Leica?? Kripo Chemnitz???. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted August 17, 2015 more photo Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/249049-real-or-fake-leica-kripo-chemnitz/?do=findComment&comment=2872919'>More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted August 17, 2015 Share #3 Posted August 17, 2015 A fine find : a Leica III, 1934 issued,in service at that time at the criminal polizie from the town of Chemnitz a town close to Leiptzig. Need some CLA .... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgenper Posted August 17, 2015 Share #4 Posted August 17, 2015 (edited) At least it looks like the real thing... But it´s quite beat-up; esp the corrosion visible in the first image of your second post is alarming. "Kripo" is a common German acronym for "Kriminalpolizei", or the crime squad of the police, so nothing very strange about that. It does look like it has been used in quite a few rough situations.... Edited August 17, 2015 by elgenper Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted August 17, 2015 What really looks strange to me is the way all these words are written on the camera. Like it is written by hand, and not stamped at the factory. Any thoughts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 17, 2015 Share #6 Posted August 17, 2015 Probably not done by Leitz, but a local engraver. It is a camera I would not have restored, but would keep with all the patina. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #7 Posted August 17, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Not only "Kripo Chemnitz", but also "Ernst Leitz Wetzlar DRP", then "zu" and "auf", everything seems to be engraved by hand . . . Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pop Posted August 17, 2015 Share #8 Posted August 17, 2015 "Kripo Chemnitz" appears to be manually scratched in and not properly engraved. Presumably it has been done by someone at the crime squad, possibly the person responsible for the akquisition and care of equipment. All other engravings look quite normal to me and appear to have been done at the factory. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted August 17, 2015 Does it make this particular camera in any way outstanding just by added "Kripo Chemnitz" engraving or it is just an ordinary leica? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 17, 2015 Share #10 Posted August 17, 2015 It makes it interesting, not neccesarily much more valuable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted August 17, 2015 Thak you very much for help. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moritz Posted August 17, 2015 Share #12 Posted August 17, 2015 Hello, I would be interested, where you got this genuine Leica from ? Best Regards, Moritz Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted August 17, 2015 Ucraine Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted August 17, 2015 Share #14 Posted August 17, 2015 Ucraine ...I understand now your doubts. No, Leica and all Leica engravings are genuine. Kripo engravings were not made at Leica. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #15 Posted August 17, 2015 Ok, the question then arises as if this kripo engraving was made at that time when this particular leica had been produced and if this leica had been sold to criminal police department? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted August 17, 2015 Share #16 Posted August 17, 2015 I do not think that an Ukrainan fake would run to a modest Kripo engraving. As Chemnitz was overrun by Russia at the end of WWII it may well be that we are looking at a "confiscated" camera here. The condition it is in speaks against a fake as well. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
elgenper Posted August 17, 2015 Share #17 Posted August 17, 2015 (edited) Most, if not all, those "genuine Russian fakes" are based on Zorkis, not real Leicas. Also, they´re usually ridiculously overdone, with gold, snakeskin, swastikas, eagles & c. I find it unlikely that a forger would restrain his work to a simple ´police property´ engraving on a black, heavily worn, original Leica. As Jaap says, the engraving doesn´t add very much to the value. So, the only people that would have any incitament to engrave it would be the Chemnitz Police Dept, right after getting a couple of brand new Leica´s to play with... long, long ago. Edit: see that Jaap beat me to it... Edited August 17, 2015 by elgenper 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #18 Posted August 17, 2015 (edited) There has been a very similar camera, at L&H auction, with the same engraving, Kripo Chemnitz, a little bit different, and without a number. What is so special in it? I see I can not post links here, but if you would google Leica Kripo Chemnitz, you would see that camera. It is the second link in google from the top. or you might google it like this LOT : 116. Leica III (Kripo Chemnitz) Edited August 17, 2015 by blazeee Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moritz Posted August 17, 2015 Share #19 Posted August 17, 2015 (edited) Hello, so i looked at the L&H auction site. Could you tell us here the circumstances how you got your Leica and the price you paid or what you traded it for. The reason is, no one here would be jealous about your gain but the story behind this is for collectors more important than just the price. Best Regards, Moritz Edited August 17, 2015 by Moritz Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazeee Posted August 17, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted August 17, 2015 I took it by chance. I would say for "nothing" from a guy in Ucraine. Saw an advertisement, called him, transfered funds. It was not prepared specially for sale as you can see on the photo, he didn't bother to clean the dust from it, had been sold "as is". Regarding L&H auction - I still can not understand what was so special in that Leica. May be somebody could explain. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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