willeica Posted January 14, 2019 Share #41  Posted January 14, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) I have also been in touch with my friend Lars Netopil about the tropical keepers. He has referred me to an article in Vidom 06 from 2017. In the course of a longer article about the use of Leicas in tropical regions, Marc Hoch deals with the aluminium tropical cans which he says are extremely rare and delicate. He says that there is some reference to these in Fritz Vith's book from the early 1930s, but nothing appeared in any official Leica documents. These were not something that you could order, but when sending a lens to a client in a tropical region the aluminium container was used instead of the usual red box which, it it was feared, would suffer from the humidity and heat in tropical climates. It was the Leica dealer or representative who decided if you got this. He also speculates that dealers might have decided to send lenses in such containers depending on a client's occupation, if known. Below are some extracts from the article, in German, of course. 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!  William    1 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!  William    ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/256058-leitz-tropical-aluminum-lens-cases/?do=findComment&comment=3664368'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted January 14, 2019 Posted January 14, 2019 Hi willeica, Take a look here Leitz tropical aluminum lens cases. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jc_braconi Posted January 14, 2019 Share #42 Â Posted January 14, 2019 I have the vidom and also the Vith book do you know the page of this book where it is spoke about Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted January 14, 2019 Share #43 Â Posted January 14, 2019 28 minutes ago, jc_braconi said: I have the vidom and also the Vith book do you the page of this book where it is spoke about Page 49 (runs onto page 50). I did a rough translation. Also Lars gave me a synopsis of what the article contained. William Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted January 14, 2019 Share #44  Posted January 14, 2019 NO way sorry   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! 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/256058-leitz-tropical-aluminum-lens-cases/?do=findComment&comment=3664514'>More sharing options...
willeica Posted January 14, 2019 Share #45  Posted January 14, 2019 26 minutes ago, jc_braconi said: NO way sorry   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! I was referring to the page in Vidom. Perhaps I misunderstood your post. Here is a very rough 'Google Translate' for which I must apologise in advance. Maybe Fritz Vith. In his Leica Manual, which appeared in various editions mentioned he - with an exclamation mark - »special tropical boxes« which are available. The appearance time 12 is significant, because many collectors and Leica experts assume that the doses until the late 30's were manufactured. Wiilliam  Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandro Posted January 14, 2019 Share #46  Posted January 14, 2019 Marc Hoch in his article in Vidom 113 is referring to the larger format edition of Vith's Handbuch, the so-called Großausgabe of 1941. That is why he mentions that the date of appearance is remarkable, since most collectors assume that these cases were produced until the late 1930's. Apparently there is a typo because the number 12 makes no sense, so I am sure Hoch meant to say 1941. I have the first edition of 1930 and the 3rd edition of 1933 (both the original German editions) but I can't find mention of the tropical cases in these editions. Lex 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandro Posted January 14, 2019 Share #47  Posted January 14, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) Better search gives another result. In the 3rd edition Vith has a chapter on `more difficult photographs` with a sub-section on photography in the tropics. There he mentions (p. 86) the 'special tropical boxes' but not connected to lenses, but in a paragraph about developing films when someone is taking pictures in the tropics. In these special cases a friend of Vith's had carried his films with him and only shortly before using the film had taken the film out of the zinc box. This section was not part of the 1st edition, but apparently added later. So Marc Hoch was mistaken, since the zinc cases mentioned were not used for lenses but for film. Lex 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted January 14, 2019 Share #48 Â Posted January 14, 2019 (edited) Thanks Lex for sorting this out. I am at a total disadvantage when it comes to books written in German. I have told Lars that I must learn some German in order to learn all that I need to know about Leitz and Leica, and to be able to read Goethe's works in their original form, of course. The point about the Leica agent deciding to send lenses in tropical cases rather than red boxes seems plausible, though. William Edited January 14, 2019 by willeica Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandro Posted January 14, 2019 Share #49 Â Posted January 14, 2019 I am not sure about reading Goethe, William, although a bit may not hurt. But reading Leitz/Leica material in German, like Vith's handbook is very fascinating indeed. Lex 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jc_braconi Posted January 14, 2019 Share #50 Â Posted January 14, 2019 My Vith book is from Summer 1933 and I was speaking of it not the Vidom magazine Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan mcfall Posted January 15, 2019 Share #51  Posted January 15, 2019 Speaking of the Fritz Vith book, here are my copies. Maybe someone can help with the complete story. Was the first edition 1930 and was the last 1943? The 1943 edition seems to be marked "From 38000 to 42000 copies". Most of my copies are the more common gold cover, but a few are gray. I have seen photos of other colors such as blue. The slipcovers are not often found. Some editions contained a leitz diapositiv, see second photo: I believe this was included only in the earliest editions, but am not sure as I don't have one. Can anyone show the diapositiv and what it contained? 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!  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/256058-leitz-tropical-aluminum-lens-cases/?do=findComment&comment=3664726'>More sharing options...
M9reno Posted January 15, 2019 Share #52 Â Posted January 15, 2019 Alan, I have two of these 1st ed. Vith black/white slides. Â I will scan and post on a separate thread. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandro Posted January 15, 2019 Share #53  Posted January 15, 2019 (edited) Alan, Claus Walter has described the history of the Handbuch by Fritz Vith in Vidom 106 (2013), with the various editions. Only the first edition contained the black and white diapositive, as to convince people of the quality of Leica camera and lenses. In subsequent editions this was not felt necessary anymore. 1st ed. 1930, 2d ed. 1932 11.000-14.000; 3rd ed. 1933 15.000-20.000; 4th ed. 1940 26.000-32.000 abridged version; 4th ed. 1940 26.000-32.000 large format; 5th ed. 1941 37.000-37.000 (?); 6th ed. 1943 38.000-42.000 abridged version. The various editions have different colours Lex Edited January 15, 2019 by sandro 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M9reno Posted April 26, 2019 Share #54 Â Posted April 26, 2019 My two Vith slides are now posted here: Â 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yashicachris Posted August 23, 2020 Share #55  Posted August 23, 2020 Hi all! Here's my Leica Summaron 3.5cm f3.5 L39 (SOONC) lens with its original(?) Ernst Leitz Wetzlar Bakelite case. No catalog code on the case but there's numbers on the inside of the cap and base. Cap is 2617 and the base is 2729. The lens is from 1955 but I'm thinking the case is a bit older (late 1940s or early 1950s) and was in use just before the clear bubble cases came out (maybe). The Leica catalog from France that's shown elsewhere in this thread shows that the case was BCDOO. A current search for BCDOO comes up empty. Great site... Chris 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! 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/256058-leitz-tropical-aluminum-lens-cases/?do=findComment&comment=4031968'>More sharing options...
Pyrogallol Posted August 23, 2020 Share #56  Posted August 23, 2020 (edited) Two tropical cases for sale here, not cheap. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEICA-Leitz-Tropen-Box-Alu-Hektor-7-3-7-3cm-73-73mm-Alu-tropical-superrare-19K/312602926430?epid=2088090887&hash=item48c8961d5e:g:fCMAAOSw3b9c1DV2  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leica-Tropical-Container-for-50mm-Summar-f2/124306534889?hash=item1cf13f31e9:g:Ps0AAOSwbp1fIC7A Edited August 23, 2020 by Pyrogallol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yashicachris Posted August 23, 2020 Share #57  Posted August 23, 2020 On 2/13/2016 at 4:02 AM, FPangrazi said: I enclose the only antique literature that reports the codes of containers in bachilite: BCDOO (Summaron o Elmar 3,5 cm.) BKSOO (Elmar o Summitar 5 cm.) BCOOA (Summitar 5 cm.) BDFOO (Elmar 9 cm.) BDOOZ (Hektor 13,5 cm.)  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! Excellent post - many thanks for sharing it! I can just make out part of a date on cover of the catalog on the right - January 1st, 195?. Any chance you can share the rest of the date? Also, the catalog with the three holes punched in it, 'Leica Lenses', do you have the date of publication for it? Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted August 23, 2020 Share #58  Posted August 23, 2020 I have the ‘Leica Lenses’ booklet. It is undated but by the contents it was produced by E Leitz New York between 1949 and 1953. It does not contain any f model cameras, only c models. I am bemused by the prices being charged for tropical holders. I got my only tropical holder with a very good condition 9cm Elmar for about €100 all told for both items together. William 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yashicachris Posted August 23, 2020 Share #59  Posted August 23, 2020 43 minutes ago, willeica said: I have the ‘Leica Lenses’ booklet. It is undated but by the contents it was produced by E Leitz New York between 1949 and 1953. It does not contain any f model cameras, only c models. I am bemused by the prices being charged for tropical holders. I got my only tropical holder with a very good condition 9cm Elmar for about €100 all told for both items together. William Thanks for the info, William. I'm curious to learn more about the Bakelite lens cases and of course, who wouldn't like to "find" a nice tropical holder. Sounds like you got a great deal. I recently acquired a IIIg with Leicavit from the original owner that Mr. Youxin Ye is servicing for me at the moment. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pecole Posted August 24, 2020 Share #60  Posted August 24, 2020 At my own surprise, when going through my collection archives to discover photos of the bakelite containers I had had, I found these images of a BDOOZ for Hektor 13,5cm. Frankly, I didn't know I had it. So, I had three of the five listed : BKSOO (Elmar-Summar 5cm), BDFOO (Elmar 9cm) and the BDOOZ. I join a copy of a photo of the BKSOO base, showing that it is intended for Elmar or SUMMAR, not Summitar. 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! 1 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/256058-leitz-tropical-aluminum-lens-cases/?do=findComment&comment=4032603'>More sharing options...
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