rulnacco Posted December 14, 2013 Share #1 Posted December 14, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) My favourite local dealer just took delivery of a very nice specimen of this lens. It has one odd feature neither of us had seen before--just to the right of the focus distance scale, there is an inscribed red star. He said he had read something about the meaning of this before, but couldn't recall the significance of it. Interestingly, he has a non-goggled version of the lens which differs by less than 300 in serial number, but lacks the red star. As we're both wondering about it, can anyone provide some insight as to what is the purpose/meaning of the red star on this one? 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! 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/218369-goggled-35-summilux-red-star/?do=findComment&comment=2486594'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted December 14, 2013 Posted December 14, 2013 Hi rulnacco, Take a look here Goggled 35 Summilux--Red Star?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
farnz Posted December 14, 2013 Share #2 Posted December 14, 2013 From your picture this lens is an oddity; I don't recall other Leica lenses with a shiny chrome ring like that, and there appear to be parts made in Midland mixed with parts made in Wetzlar. I don't recall seeing another lens with a 5-pointed star like this engraved on it. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted December 14, 2013 Share #3 Posted December 14, 2013 Possibly a pre production sample. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DigitalHeMan Posted December 14, 2013 Share #4 Posted December 14, 2013 According to Ken Rockwell's article on Len serial numbers: "No two Leica lenses or cameras have the same serial number. If Leica ever almost duplicated a number, the second item had a star added after its otherwise identical serial number." However I would have expected that to be in the front of the lens rather than the barrel? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted December 14, 2013 Share #5 Posted December 14, 2013 Yes duplicate numbers are denoted by a 6-pointed asterisk not an engraved, 5-pointed, red star. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 14, 2013 Share #6 Posted December 14, 2013 From your picture this lens is an oddity; I don't recall other Leica lenses with a shiny chrome ring like that... No idea about the red star but otherwise the lens looks like a Summilux 35/1.4 # 11871 "RF" (1961-1966) with goggles and chrome front rim. 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! 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/218369-goggled-35-summilux-red-star/?do=findComment&comment=2486868'>More sharing options...
lct Posted December 14, 2013 Share #7 Posted December 14, 2013 Advertisement (gone after registration) Without goggles: 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! 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/218369-goggled-35-summilux-red-star/?do=findComment&comment=2486873'>More sharing options...
farnz Posted December 14, 2013 Share #8 Posted December 14, 2013 Thanks, LCT, I had a different version of pre-asph 35 Summilux which didn't have the shiny chrome ring. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lct Posted December 14, 2013 Share #9 Posted December 14, 2013 You're welcome Pete, here's the black version # 11869: 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! 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/218369-goggled-35-summilux-red-star/?do=findComment&comment=2486908'>More sharing options...
rulnacco Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share #10 Posted December 17, 2013 Thanks for the replies so far! It's a very nice lens, if I could afford it, I'd snag it for my M3 (I use a goggled Summaron on that). My dealer is very experienced--he's been selling Leica kit for over 50 years (he's 82 now and still going strong) and even he's stumped by the red star. As I said above, he asserts he can recall reading something some time back about the meaning of this marking, but he's not been able to recall or locate the information. And right now, we're both stumped, so we're hoping someone can enlighten us with definite information. Cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted December 17, 2013 Share #11 Posted December 17, 2013 .... My dealer is very experienced--he's been selling Leica kit for over 50 years (he's 82 now and still going strong) ... He's not Reg Roach by any chance is he? (There's not much that stumps Reg about Leitz and Leica.) Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rulnacco Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share #12 Posted December 17, 2013 It is indeed the estimable and highly respected & knowledgeable Reg Roach! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted December 18, 2013 Share #13 Posted December 18, 2013 I sort of remember having read somewhere that the red star denoted the use of some particular type of glass (radioactive?). Or maybe it had to do with the lens being a prototype of some kind. Not sure about either, though. Did you ask Leica as well? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Gunst Lund Posted December 18, 2013 Share #14 Posted December 18, 2013 Yes I also recall that the five pointed star is a marking for lenses with an element containing Thorium. Try looking for: Summitar mit Stern Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Gunst Lund Posted December 18, 2013 Share #15 Posted December 18, 2013 Not sure if it an * or an star.... Here is a write up on the Summitar google translate. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rulnacco Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share #16 Posted December 18, 2013 Hmmmm, that is all interesting. And it had occurred to us that perhaps it did have something to do with the lens being radioactive. However, there are several factors that seem to mitigate against this idea: 1. I cannot find, at least yet, the 35 Summilux on any list of radioactive lenses I have so far encountered. 2. If Leica was, as were several manufacturers, using thorium in their glass at that time, they probably would have considered that rather par for course and so wouldn't have likely specially labelled the lens as radioactive; I can't find any mention of any other manufacturer marking their lenses to indicate that they contained thorium or another radioactive isotope. 3. As I mentioned above, my dealer also has a slightly younger Summilux without the goggles, which is separated in serial number from the lens in question by less than 300. We didn't look up production dates, but it seems that serial numbers that near would have been produced rather close together in time as well. The Summilux without goggles also lacks the red star. I teach secondary science. We have a Geiger counter at school! If I can borrow the lens and submit it to testing, I might be able to determine whether it is radioactive. That still may not settle the question of what the red star means, however. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted December 18, 2013 Share #17 Posted December 18, 2013 It is a Canadian fake of a Jupiter lens 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted December 18, 2013 Share #18 Posted December 18, 2013 It is a Canadian fake of a Jupiter lens … Surely a fake of an InduStar lens? Fair enough, I'll get my coat. Pete. 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Gunst Lund Posted December 19, 2013 Share #19 Posted December 19, 2013 'Summitar Stern' is indeed an * and not a star so that is a dead end sorry! See this guys avatar Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
k_g_wolf ✝ Posted December 19, 2013 Share #20 Posted December 19, 2013 E-mail this photograph to JAMES LAGER, he may have the answer. Perhaps the engraving was done for a X-mas present at HARRODS where they sell engraved pencils ... Best GEORG 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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