Correct body cap for 1932 Leica II Type D?

[willeica]

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There are interesting discussions on the cap topic here http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=151005 and here http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-95726.html. Some people doubt whether the bakelite cap was around in the early 1930s, but I believe I have seen illustrations with the bakelite cap from either the late 1920s or early 1930s. I have examples from that time with metal caps and some with bakelite caps. It is possible that lenses were provided with either a metal cap or a bakelite cap during that period. All of the replacement caps listed in catalogues seem to be metal and there is no trace of the stamped numbers mentioned above in any catalogue.

 

William

[alan mcfall]

Regarding the velvet lining, I found this quote in the August 1935 Leica News and Techniques magazine.  So, depending how fast Leitz used up the fully lined caps, perhaps new cameras should have came with the rim only velvet from sometime in 1935.  The fully lined caps are earlier as we suspected. You may have to scroll down to the center paragraph on the  "Plush" lining.

 

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[willeica]

Thanks Alan. This is very useful and gives more information than contemporary Leica catalogues which just list some metal replacement caps with very little information and no illustrations. This piece illustrates what I have found with my own collection; that the metal caps with the full plush lining come from earlier lenses. I have a black metal cap with side plush only on a nickel Summar with SN 256786 which dates it as being from 1935. We can probably say that any full plush metal cap is probably before 1935 and any side plush metal cap is probably from 1935 or later. It would be foolhardy to use this as a very exact date measurement tool, however.

 

That still leaves the issue of the bakelite caps. I could be wrong, but I cannot recall seeing one with full plush lining. I do, however, have a recollection of seeing what looks like a bakelite cap on an early illustration which I cannot lay my hands on right now. I have bakelite caps on some early lenses and metal caps on others. I do not have any bakelite caps on lenses which came later than the mid 1930s. So there is something still to be clarified. Some people have numbers inside their bakelite caps but there are none on any of mine. The 1930s catalogues make no mention of bakelite caps, which would seem to make it unlikely that they were replacement caps from the pre-war period. I will keep looking through the material which I have to see if anything turns up.

 

William

[jc_braconi]

I think the bakelite caps were comtemporary of the bakelite boxes for lenses, (after carton boxes) which were replaced by leather ones 

[jc_braconi]

On 6 easily check able 2 have a small number : 2619, 1 has a large number : 6642, 3 plain : no number

[sabears]

Here, for your consideration, a copy of the first type of Leica lens cap.

Here photographed with a Leica IA 4-digits Number, even if the cap is actually  even older.

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[imojo]

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I have a 1934 bp III with open/close engraving on the bottom plate but no "Germany" on the shoe. I have a "Germany" and "Leitz New York" body cap thinking they may match my export III. Does anyone have info on these caps. Furthermore the engraving on these caps do not align upright, but off center two o'clock, when assembled. I believe, and I am no expert, that the age of the leica script caps can be roughly determined based on published Leica scripts through the years.