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Fontenelle archives 93 . My "paper" Leicas


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The "paper" or cardboard Leicas were an early publicity curiosity. I had two in my Fontenelle collection : Leica I and Leica III.

 

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These were four-"pages" leaflets cutted like a camera and with exactly the same size, showing a silhouette of the camera and its name on the front page and descriptions/promotional texts inside and on the back.

 

The Leica I, probably dating early 1930s, has a French text printed on its front :

"Leica by Leitz Wetzlar, the camera that makes miracles" and also in smaller font : "Natural size".

 

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The French text on the back can be translated as follows :

"The Leica allows perfect enlargements up to 50 x 60 cm, is completed by numerous accessories extending its use and making it easier, i.e. : enlarger, projectors, rangefinders, angle viewfinders, development tanks and drums etc.. etc.."

"All the equipment is for sale here :"

and "Printed in Germany"

This text has definitely not been checked by a French, since Leica is treated as a feminine word!

 

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The Leica III has just its name printed on the front "page" :

 

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On the back, we read, also in French :

"The 'Leica' is not only the best and the fastest camera, it is the base of a system, "The Leica System" which, thanks to complementary accessories allows all operations, from long distance to infra-red to micro-photography."

"April 1935/4000"

"liste Photo Nº. 7432 fr."

 

[ATTACH]306025[/ATTACH]

 

Texts inside both "leaflets" were quite extensive, and we'll just quote the translations of

the key phrase for each one :

For the Leica I : "36 Views without re-loading, on standard perforated cine negative".

And for the LEICA III : "The rangefinder's setting and its coupling to all lenses are of a total precision."

 

[ATTACH]306026[/ATTACH]

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