Twotone Posted August 29, 2011 Share #21 Posted August 29, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi, Tony. I must confess that as a collector, I did never pay much attention to the "investment" side of this disease. As for the beginning, I received my first Leica (IIIc with Summitar) when I turned 18. Since at that time I combined my Law studies with a free lance Aviation journalist activity (I was a pilot since 16), I completed my set with an Elmar 35 and a Hektor 135 to "cover" meetings (Farnborough, Bourget, Hanover...), then upgraded to IIIf, M3, but strictly as a user. In 1969, after reading an article on the Leica story, I opened the drawer where my "old" Leicas and lenses slept (5 bodies and 7 lenses) to try to identify same, and I immediately dreamed to add a Leica I ... that I readily found at the Brussels Flea market. And I got the virus...It must be a gene in my character : I love investigating (when I graduated as a Doctor at Law, I studied the Civil Code in a venerable copy of the "Coutumes d'Orléans" published in 1772, first "modern" upgrading of the Roman law, ancester of the Napoleon Code on which both the French and the Belgian Law systems are based), so - just an example - when I heard that the Leica 250 had been designed following a specific request by a Belgian photographer and the two prototypes nº 114051 and 52 were delivered in Antwerp in 1933, I immediately started investigating to trace the owner and his lineage, and after 3 years, I had the chrome 114052 prototype in its original condition in my collection, and the - unfortunately upgraded GG - 114051 black paint in the sister collection of my friend Jean-Paul Bachely. Other pieces came mainly from four second-hand dealers in Brussels, from international dealers like Stan Tamarkin or from other collectors all over the world. My membership to LHSA and Leica Historica was very helpful, as well as the free dissemination of 600 copies of 6 issues of my illustrated "Fontenelle Collection Newsletter" in 1980. Sorry to have sold my collection ? frankly : no. It's another characteristic of my mind : when I decide to change something, it's over; I enjoyed it very much (and still enjoy it thanks to this Forum!), but my wife Colette (since 1962) and I had decided to start a new life in Portugal. I kept a few pieces that I finally sold to a Singaporean collector 3 years ago. And yes, I got quite a good price in 1993. Just for the fun, when quoting my "Coutumes d'Orléans", I took the book and my handy little V-Lux 20 to deliver the photo hereunder. Marvel of today's digital photography. Thanks for the reply Pecole. I hope that you don't consider my questions impertinent but it was such a wonderful collection that you had I had wondered how you acquired it in the first place and then managed to dispose of it. I don't know if I could have parted with it after a lifetime of collecting it. It must have been very difficult to source some of the items pre-internet and especially trying to ensure that they were genuine must have been very time consuming. Was second hand Leica equipment still relatively expensive when you first started collecting in 1969? Is there any particular camera or lens that you miss or which camera or lens or indeed accessory was your favourite? Regards, Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 29, 2011 Posted August 29, 2011 Hi Twotone, Take a look here Fontenelle Archives 88 : Ali Baba's cave. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Pecole Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share #22 Posted August 30, 2011 Wife is more than a concern, if you are a collector (and vice versa).First they underestimate and don't understand that your passion makes your house smaller each day. After years, at the end of the process, one day, after they realize than your terminal desease brought the family to find less and less room, they bring to your attention to the fact that the mattress has become harder than usual... ...the end begins when they have the bright idea to look under... cheers. P.S.: nice book Pecole! How right you are ! fortunately enough, my wife must be a saint, because she argued 49 years about my collectionS (yes, next to Leicas, I also cherished my Aviation library's 6,000 volumes) and threatened many times to put everything to the rubbish...but she's still there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pecole Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share #23 Posted August 30, 2011 Thanks for the reply Pecole. I hope that you don't consider my questions impertinent but it was such a wonderful collection that you had I had wondered how you acquired it in the first place and then managed to dispose of it. I don't know if I could have parted with it after a lifetime of collecting it. It must have been very difficult to source some of the items pre-internet and especially trying to ensure that they were genuine must have been very time consuming. Was second hand Leica equipment still relatively expensive when you first started collecting in 1969? Is there any particular camera or lens that you miss or which camera or lens or indeed accessory was your favourite? Regards, Tony About the value of second-hand Leica equipment 40 years ago, the key word is "relatively". In today's Euros, a Leica I in good codition was 500, a IIIg 250, a good M3 200-300. The most expensive I paid in these days : I Elmax (2,600), IIId (3,000), 250 FF (2,200) etc.. But I earned around one fifth of what a youg (like I was at that time) university graduate would earn today. I don't really "miss" something, my Digilux 2 and V-Lux 20 doing all what I need today, but I loved two camera/lens combinations, which probably fired 80 percent of the total12,000 negatives/transparencies I burned : M3 with 2.8/35mm "eyed" Summaron for "family" shots and SL2 with 2.8/60mm Macro-Elmarit-R for photographing my Leica collection. I also used fairly often my "Safari bag" (R3, Elmarit 28, Summilux 50, Elmar 180) when traveling, and enjoyed limited special experiences with Tely-R 6.8/400, Super-Elmar-R 15, Elmarit-R 19 or PA-Curtagon-R 35. All the best, Tony. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twotone Posted August 30, 2011 Share #24 Posted August 30, 2011 About the value of second-hand Leica equipment 40 years ago, the key word is "relatively".In today's Euros, a Leica I in good codition was 500, a IIIg 250, a good M3 200-300. The most expensive I paid in these days : I Elmax (2,600), IIId (3,000), 250 FF (2,200) etc.. But I earned around one fifth of what a youg (like I was at that time) university graduate would earn today. I don't really "miss" something, my Digilux 2 and V-Lux 20 doing all what I need today, but I loved two camera/lens combinations, which probably fired 80 percent of the total12,000 negatives/transparencies I burned : M3 with 2.8/35mm "eyed" Summaron for "family" shots and SL2 with 2.8/60mm Macro-Elmarit-R for photographing my Leica collection. I also used fairly often my "Safari bag" (R3, Elmarit 28, Summilux 50, Elmar 180) when traveling, and enjoyed limited special experiences with Tely-R 6.8/400, Super-Elmar-R 15, Elmarit-R 19 or PA-Curtagon-R 35. All the best, Tony. Fantastic history there Pecole, thanks. It must have been wonderful being able to find and enjoy all of those pieces of Leica equipment. I think it would be pretty much impossible to find and fund such a collection nowadays unless you have exceptionally deep pockets. Seems like every man and his son is buying Leica stuff now. Prices for nearly everything now has gone through the roof and everyone knows the value of everything. The likes of e-bay has a lot to answer for that, IMO. The internet is wonderful at times but at other times it can be a curse. Having said that thought there must be thousands and thousands of Leica camera and lenses in attics and cupboards, all over Europe, that have been almost forgotten now most of which probably belonged to some young people who were given birthday or graduation gifts. No doubt most of that stuff has never been used or used very little. I think the days of finding something as exciting as a Leica M3 in some backstreet saleroom in somewhere like Paris must be well and truly over. One can dream though:) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bateleur Posted September 9, 2011 Share #25 Posted September 9, 2011 Fascinating story, thank you Pecole. I enjoy dipping into the delights of your photographs and found the story just as interesting. Regards Charles Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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