Inspector Clouseau Posted March 13, 2012 Share #1 Posted March 13, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello friends. Might any of you Leica historians be able to give me a quick run down of Leicas history in New York / New Jersey. I mainly am trying to find out: When they moved into 304 Hudson Street NY When they moved out of Hudson and into 468 4th Ave. NY When they moved out of 4th Avenue and into New Jersey I know these seem like silly questions but I am from that area and curiosity has gotten the better of me. Many Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted March 13, 2012 Posted March 13, 2012 Hi Inspector Clouseau, Take a look here E. Leitz New York. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
luigi bertolotti Posted March 13, 2012 Share #2 Posted March 13, 2012 No idea on the topic... but let me say that your questions are nicely in touch with your nickname... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Clouseau Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share #3 Posted March 13, 2012 Yes .... I knew that connection was to made by one of you. I found it funny as well. I dont need exact dates, just general dates would suffice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steed Posted March 13, 2012 Share #4 Posted March 13, 2012 Monsieur L'Inspecteur If you are able to find the buildings, it might be interesting to post pix on this site. John W 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted March 13, 2012 Share #5 Posted March 13, 2012 Hello Inspector Clouseau, Welcome to the Forum. Leitz was @ its Park Avenue (4th Avenue) address in the late 1960's. In the 1970's they had a liason offfice @ the corner of 59th St & Central Park West when they first opened their Rockleigh office in the Northeastern corner of New Jersey. Hudson River immediately East. New York State immediately North. Their Northvale NJ office, a little Southwest of Rockleigh but not too far away, was open in the early 1980's. In 2003 it was still there. If I remember correctly the Microscope Division stayed in Rockleigh. Allendale, the present home, is not far West of Northvale. Best Regards, Michael Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Clouseau Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share #6 Posted March 14, 2012 Well now that is some fabulous information. So they left 4th street in the late 60's. Michael .... Do you happen to know about what year they went from Hudson street over to 4th avenue? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted March 14, 2012 Share #7 Posted March 14, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello Inspector Clouseau, I don't know when they moved to Park Avenue. Park Avenue, not 4th Avenue, is the name used by most people for quite a long time now. The reverse w/ Avenue of the Americas which most people who live or work in New York City call 6th Avenue. I went to graduate school on 42d Street between 6th Avenue & Park Avenue across the street from the New York Public Library. Best Regards, Michael Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Clouseau Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted March 14, 2012 Im getting close, my investigation has revealed the following so far: At Hudson early 1950's At Park Ave by 1956 Left Park Ave around 1968 / 1970 1972 moved to Northvale, NJ Recently moved to Allendale NJ Anyone like to dispute this or ad to it? I still don't have a date for when they opened and closed the Hudson location ..... all I know is that they were in Park Ave. in 1956. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted March 14, 2012 Share #9 Posted March 14, 2012 Hello Inspector Clouseau, I think they spent most of the 1970's & possibly part of the 1980's in Rockleigh. You also left out their liason office in New York City in the 1970's. You might want to read my Post #5, this Thread, again. Best Regards, Michael 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Clouseau Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share #10 Posted March 14, 2012 (edited) Hello Inspector Clouseau, I think they spent most of the 1970's & possibly part of the 1980's in Rockleigh. You also left out their liason office in New York City in the 1970's. You might want to read my Post #5, this Thread, again. Best Regards, Michael Yes of course - forgive me. Let me verify this added information with my other sources. This is typical for Inspector Clouseau to leave out huge parts of the investigation. I was actually just checking to see if you were paying attention. Edited March 14, 2012 by Inspector Clouseau 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Clouseau Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share #11 Posted March 14, 2012 Im getting a lot of conflicting information .... and the more I inquire ... the more I am just pissing people off. Seems this is one of those questions that just send people into a fit. A very reliable source tells me that Hudson remained open even up till Leitz moved into New Jersey. This same source is telling me that Park was open in 1954 .... I on the other hand also have proof that Hudson was open in 1953 .... so I dont know anymore. To keep all parties happy I will just assume that Park was open at the same time Hudson was open. Im done with this investigating stuff. Im sure we are all thoroughly exhausted with this topic. Regards Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted March 14, 2012 Share #12 Posted March 14, 2012 Hello Inspector Clouseau, When companies move, be they Leitz or anyone else, there is often an overlap of when & where they might be for a significant period of time. Old & new. People are used to an old place & so it might be maintained simultaneously w/ the new place for a period of time for them. People might not find the new place convenient or currently accesable & so the old place might be maintained for a while for them. Sometimes an old place is maintained thru a sucession of new places. & so on...... Best Regards, Michael 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inspector Clouseau Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share #13 Posted March 20, 2012 Well ..... no disputing this. 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! 3 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/174795-e-leitz-new-york/?do=findComment&comment=1959698'>More sharing options...
cameosis Posted May 2, 2012 Share #14 Posted May 2, 2012 optima typeface by hermann zapf ... classy times, indeed. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lars_bergquist Posted May 3, 2012 Share #15 Posted May 3, 2012 Yes, the semibold weight. Zapf (who I had the pleasure to meet and converse with a few years ago) did in fact intend Optima for display use, not as a text face. The old man from the Lead Age 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john ob Posted May 6, 2021 Share #16 Posted May 6, 2021 Just found this site and based upon the dates of the previous posts there is a possibility that no one will read this post. For 5 summers starting in 1967 while in college I worked for Trinity Church who owned numerous industrial buildings in lower Manhattan primarily in the Hudson and Varick Streets area. I was employed primarily as a freight elevator operator. In those days many of the tenants in Trinity buildings were financial printers. Alot has changed since then. I was employed in several buildings but primarily at 345 Hudson Street. One week in 1968 or 1969 I was detailed to 304 Hudson Street. While walking thru the bldg I noticed some advertising posters for the Leica Cameras. The firm was no longer in the bldg. It caught my attention because at the time I had a Leica rangefinder camera. In 1973 or 1974 I rode up to their Northvale, NJ facillity to have it checked out. They spent about an hour on it and advised it wasn't worth repairing. They didn't charge me. It's a long shot but maybe the folks in the real estate office of Trinity Church cou;d help you with the dates of Leica's occupancy. Assuming that they are at the same place they are at 76 (or 78) Trinity Place directly behind the church. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Pridham Posted November 28, 2021 Share #17 Posted November 28, 2021 My uncle Helmut Krueger worked in the New Jersey Office in the position I believe of Vice-President for the Leitz company. I am trying to find out information about this. They emigrated to the USA with his wife and daughter I believe around 1968 or 69. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan mcfall Posted November 28, 2021 Share #18 Posted November 28, 2021 (edited) Offices for E. Leitz, New York Dates Earliest Latest 30 E. 23rd Street 1894 1905 411 W. 59th Street 1905 ~1920 (may be 1913) 30 E. 18th Street 1913 noted 60 E. 10th Street 5/1923 2/1937 730 5th Avenue 3/1937 9/1944 Wartime shutdown 9/1944 11/1945 304 Hudson Street 11/1945 468 4th Avenue 1/1953 Rockleigh, N.J. Early 1970 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! Just my study from literature. Subject to any new information. The Emil Keller book on Leitz New York provides a little information. Edited November 28, 2021 by alan mcfall 2 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Just my study from literature. Subject to any new information. The Emil Keller book on Leitz New York provides a little information. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/174795-e-leitz-new-york/?do=findComment&comment=4322116'>More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted November 29, 2021 Share #19 Posted November 29, 2021 (edited) Hello John & Susan, Welcome to the Forum both. Hello Alan, Thank you for the Information. For those people not from the New York Metropolitan Area: "468 4th Avenue" then: Is 468 Park Avenue now. The address is South of Grand Central Station. Grand Central Station, which sits across Park Avenue, has its main entrance on 42nd Street. If I remember correctly, their office was on the West side of the Street. The right side, walking down from Grand Central Station. Then they moved to Rockleigh, New Jersey. Which is the very North East corner of New Jersey. Hudson River to the East. New York State to the North. They kept an office on Columbus Circle, at Central Park South, in Manhattan, for a while, so that people in New York City could pick up & drop off cameras, lenses & the like. Then they moved to Northvale. Just a little West of Rockleigh. Then they moved to Allendale. Which is West of Northvale. Best Regards, Michael Edited November 29, 2021 by Michael Geschlecht 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jankap Posted November 29, 2021 Share #20 Posted November 29, 2021 (edited) On 5/3/2012 at 8:21 AM, lars_bergquist said: Yes, the semibold weight. Zapf (who I had the pleasure to meet and converse with a few years ago) did in fact intend Optima for display use, not as a text face. The old man from the Lead Age I miss the old man. Sad to have to miss his posts. Edited November 29, 2021 by jankap 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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