Fake 50 Jahre?

[TomB_tx]

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A while ago I bought an M5 as a "user" camera, and really like it - so it's fine for what I wanted. However, it has the 50 Jahre logo on the front, but the serial number is 12982XX - which looks to be too early to be a real 50 Jahre model. I notice the 50 logo doesn't seem to be engraved, just printed on the front, while the "Leica M5" is engraved.

I didn't pay a premium for it, so I'm not concerned; just curious. Were many Leicas made into fake 50 Jahre units to raise prices, and should I consider this such a unit?

Thanks

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[luigi bertolotti]

M5 "50 jahre" are not so rare (around 1600-1700, iirc), so faking them, even if easy, is not a great business... I tend to think that yours is original... the s/n is not much significant because, as a camera of no great success, the relationship between number and effective year of production isn't so strict.

[sabears]

Remember that there are anniversary and anniversary camera.

The original papers and warranty card are very important in this case. Think that Leica at that time offered for a small extra charge a service to customers that had not had the opportunity to take a camera from the official batch to add to their camera the 50th emblem on the front. The original camera has also a number on the back that is the same of the one in the original warranty card.

Your camera seems an early model indeed, perhaps someone wanted to add the 50th.

 

regards.

[TomB_tx]

Thanks for the information! All original materials were long gone when I bought it, and I got it to use, not collect. In any case, the exterior is in great shape, and I had a full service since the meter and shutter speeds were off - so now it also works like new.

I passed over the M5 when it was new and stayed with my M4. But after using this one for a short while I see what a great model it is.

 

Thanks for mentioning the number on the back matching the warranty card. This one has such a number engraved that I wondered about.

Edited June 2, 2012 by TomB_tx

[jc_braconi]

Remember that there are anniversary and anniversary camera.

The original papers and warranty card are very important in this case. Think that Leica at that time offered for a small extra charge a service to customers that had not had the opportunity to take a camera from the official batch to add to their camera the 50th emblem on the front. The original camera has also a number on the back that is the same of the one in the original warranty card.

Your camera seems an early model indeed, perhaps someone wanted to add the 50th.

 

regards.

To illustrate :

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[Pecole]

Thanks for the information! All original materials were long gone when I bought it, and I got it to use, not collect. In any case, the exterior is in great shape, and I had a full service since the meter and shutter speeds were off - so now it also works like new.

I passed over the M5 when it was new and stayed with my M4. But after using this one for a short while I see what a great model it is.

 

Thanks for mentioning the number on the back matching the warranty card. This one has such a number engraved that I wondered about.

 

The number engraved on the back of the top cover, is composed of three numbers from 001 to 999, and one letter L, E, I, C or A. The "Anniversary" M4, M5, SL2 and CL all have these "secondary serials", and have normally been sold each 4,995 copies.