s/n PLOOT UXOOR and Visoflex I

[Zephyr]

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Good morning,

 

I would like to know if exist a production list of these pieces, as they have all a serial number (classified in year issue). I have several UXOOR, only one have no s/n, probably it is a late one, made just before the Bellows II. It has a Leitz calligraphy inscription, not the Leitz/Wetzlar mark.

Is there a continuity in serial numbers between PLOOT and Visoflex I ?

 

Thank you for any help.

[Zephyr]

No one knows anything about it?

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[luigi bertolotti]

I suppose they used a different numbering, with no continuity beteween PLOOT and Viso I, even if the two products were made one after the other's end (1950-51) with (I think, no sure) no superposition of production. But, fact is that PLOOTs exist with numbers in the 7000 range, and Visoflexes I with numbers significantly lower (5000, for instance)

Edited October 30, 2010 by luigi bertolotti

[Zephyr]

Thank you Luigi, I suppose for the UXOOR it is the same. No published list, and no possibility to identify the year of issue for classification.

 

Do you think that actually there is a somebody at Leica Solms able to give some information about that period?

 

Any idea why this pieces have serial number, as they are only accessories?

 

At the same time sliding focusing stages never had serial numbers (I never saw) either the rotating OORES.

Strange... There must be a reason.

[luigi bertolotti]

Eh,eh.. Zephyr, i see we share some attitudes towards the fascinating world of Leitz accessories... : me too, many times, am prone to ask myself "WHY ? There MUST be a reason for they did this way ?"

Abut the numbering of reflex housings, my hipotesis is they can have decided to number them for warranty - maintenance reasons: a number allows to track them precisely... they are rather complex to consider warranty a process that is worth to take seriously, with "strong" identification of the item that carries a warranty service, for instance reporting a s/n on the dealer's receipt.

But this is only a speculation of mine, and I have never read, in the various books I have, an explanation about. I doubt that NOW, in Solms' factory, there is someone who can go back to that times... but there is, indeed, a factory museum... with someone in charge of it, that maybe has access to such issues; another source that comes to my mind is the Leica Historical Society of America (the well known LHSA): in the years their bulletin published in-depth articles about historical Leitz gear, with contributions from many people that belonged to the factory... you could try to contact them.. their past bulletins are surely archived and someone is surely capable to "surf" on them to verify if something has been published about the reflex housings... thay have been such a rich system that I would be surprised if they haven't been ever "scrutinized" by LHSA.

Edited October 31, 2010 by luigi bertolotti

[Zephyr]

Of course Luigi, I agree with you, the accessory world of Leitz is fascinating. A lot of accessories were sold to US, and even now the most beautiful and complete pieces are easily available on the US market. It is possible that members of the LHSA were interested by this specific question.

I will try to ask them. Thank you for your help.