Thambar, Summitar and Elmar lenses in a set with Leica IIIC

[dparushev]

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Hello everyone! 

Just recently I came upon a wonderful set of the Leica IIIC together with 3 (seemingly in mint condition) lenses. The SN of the camera itself is 374588 and the only information I could gather is that it was manufactured in 1940. More about the lenses - elmar 3,5 cm, summitar 5cm, SN 559993, thambar 9cm SN 540124. There are some more additional bits and bops in the set. I tried to make my own research but couldn't find much on the internet. Can any of you, professional Leica users/keen fans let me know more about the history of these items? I am more curious other than anything. 

 

[alan mcfall]

Of course the Thambar is rare.  And this is a very late one from the last batch, 540110-540150, or maybe as allocated to 540200.  The highest serial I have recorded is 540144, so this is close.  All 1940, as Thambar was comming to an end.  In my experience, the   box is harder to find than the lens.  You might open the  box and show the condition and if it has the spot filter. I have six Thambar lenses but no original boxes.

The camera should have a red curtain if original, also this is quite close to several "Heer" cameras, again please show the top and other views of the camera.   What a find.

[alan mcfall]

Typo, should be 540001-540150.  The Summitar is listed as 1942.

[willeica]

The IIIc is probably from 1941. As such, it may have a red shutter curtain. My IIIc SN 371915 has the red curtain. I would date most of these items as being from between 1940 and 1942. I see an APDOO self timer, a VIOOH finder and a FIKUS hood and several other parts from that era. By far the most valuable item is the Thambar and, as Alan says, the box is a definite bonus as they are rare.

 

William

[dparushev]

Hello guys! Thank you for your fast replies. As requested i am attaching more pictures of the stuff Alan asked about! Here they are: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is getting more and more exciting! Honestly I did not think there items are that special. Again, thank you for your replies, if you want me to take more pictures just let me know  

[jaapv]

This is a time capsule. What a find! It must have belonged to a very knowledgeable photographer, and to find it as complete and well-preserved as this...   Never sell the parts separately, keep them together. Does it have provenance?

[willeica]

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Thanks. I see that IIIc has the red shutter as I speculated. I have one of those boxes with the marked out spaces at the back. It came with a very early Model IIIa and it has compartments for FILCA film cassettes. It also has writing in German in the marked out spaces which records the taking of photographs in 1935 in both Germany and England. Are there documents or other writing in or with this set that might establish its provenance?

 

William

[sandro]

Very special set! As Jaap said, keep the material together, since it has been acquired by a knowledgeable person. Do you have any more information of who it belonged to and where you found it?

Lex

[dparushev]

Hello, 
I acquired the whole set together with a bunch of other stuff, which belonged to my grandfather. Unfortunately he passed away a long time ago and I dont know much about it. What I know is that he either started collecting the set before his wedding (1940) and continued in the next couple of years or acquired it during his honeymoon around Europe. He used to travel to Germany quite often because of his job so it must have been easy for him to pick the items at the time. I am really happy to be able to find out more about this set, it brings a lot of beautiful memories about my grandpa. If you're interested I can show you pictures he captured with the camera and all the items  

 

The only additional writing i could find anywhere on the set is on the bottom of the big box, this is the picture: 

 

 

the K.Nr says: 374588
the other side says: Modell IIIc LOOQA 

[jaapv]

Hello, 

I acquired the whole set together with a bunch of other stuff, which belonged to my grandfather. Unfortunately he passed away a long time ago and I dont know much about it. What I know is that he either started collecting the set before his wedding (1940) and continued in the next couple of years or acquired it during his honeymoon around Europe. He used to travel to Germany quite often because of his job so it must have been easy for him to pick the items at the time. I am really happy to be able to find out more about this set, it brings a lot of beautiful memories about my grandpa. If you're interested I can show you pictures he captured with the camera and all the items

 

 

 

 

Please do so; I created a thread for the purpose: Pinned at the top of this subforum.

[willeica]

LOOQA is the code for the IIIc with Summitar, so you may have an original matched pair that came as a set. Your box number also matches the camera which is another bonus. Have you looked in the little pocket of the leather camera case? People sometimes put documents in there and I have found some interesting stuff in such cases. The shutter looks like an original one because of its dark colour, but original red shutters often deteriorate and show runny black material. Replacement red shutters are often a brighter colour.

 

William

[wlaidlaw]

I was offered a 1942 wartime IIIc last year from HK, supposedly with its original red shutter curtains. Sadly these were in a fluorescent orange material and I also had grave misgivings about the top engravings. Now that these wartime cameras, especially the military ones are reaching serious values, at the same time when you can pick up a regular IIIc for less than $200, this must be a gift for the fakers. A lot more profitable than the usual FED/Zorki faking and more difficult to detect, without a lot of research. 

 

Wilson

[luigi bertolotti]

Yup, splendid set !! A precious one too, thanks mostly to the excellent and late Thambar... and even the original filters for Summitar, with box, are not so common gear...

[pedaes]

A fabulous set. Treasure it!