Please help identify 1950s accessory

[JPHall]

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My mother is compiling an inventory of my late father's Leica equipment from the 1950s.

 

I attach photographs of one accessory which we cannot identify. It has an "E. Leitz Wetzlar" plate but no model or serial number.

 

Does anyone know what it is or how it works?

 

With thanks in advance

 

James

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[TomB_tx]

This is a focoslide for M models of Leica rangefinder cameras, for use on a copy stand for copying documents and pictures. The copy lens and closeup focusing mount connect to the screw thread on the bottom. The focoslide itself would be mounted to a copy stand so that it points directly vertical down. The top side would mount both a Leica M camera and an eyepiece over the ground glass focus sing screen. You would move the slide to place the eyepiece over the lens to frame and focus (like an SLR camera), then once ready shift the slide so the camera was over the lens to take the picture.

It worked well, but simply using an SLR camera was a lot simpler.

I have an older model for the screw mount Leica bodies.

Edited August 27, 2016 by TomB_tx

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[JPHall]

Tom, thank you for identifying it as a Focoslide and describing its use. I originally thought it attached to a microscope. Learning that it was called a "Focoslide" gave me a term to search for, I now see many examples in use.

 

Many thanks

 

James

[zeitz]

The name Focaslide was also used.  Your variant for Leica M cameras is part name OOTGU or part number 16680.