A very early Leica Dual Range Summicron

[bmw760]

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Just sharing a few photos of my very early Dual Range Summicron. 

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[willeica]

Very nice and from the 1st batch 1400001-1402000 from 1956. I have one in almost mint condition from the third batch from later in 1956. I had to search around for a set of goggles that worked as the ones that came with the lens did not work. It should be noted that the 50 DR- Code No 11918 was made in mixed batches along with the Rigid Model - Code No 11818. I have a later Rigid from 1962 that came from a batch that also included DRs. They are both superb lenses which would give any modern Summicron a run for the money. 

William

Edited May 21, 2020 by willeica

[Jemke]

Cool! I have one of the last batch of 1969 (235 serial). Would be a lovely pair!

[bmw760]

1 hour ago, Jemke said:

Cool! I have one of the last batch of 1969 (235 serial). Would be a lovely pair!

Yup. Got the pair. 

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[Jemke]

Cool couple!

[willeica]

2 hours ago, bmw760 said:

Yup. Got the pair. 

As a matter of curiosity, do your early and late DRs both work fully with the same pair of goggles?

William 

[Jul]

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My understanding on that matter is that the first version has a bigger ball as locking mechanism.

Its goggles should fit also the lens with the smaller locking mechanism, maybe with some wobbling but probably not as the sliding is quite precise.

The opposite should not work as one cannot fit the bigger ball in the smaller recess.

[willeica]

2 hours ago, Jul said:

My understanding on that matter is that the first version has a bigger ball as locking mechanism.

Its goggles should fit also the lens with the smaller locking mechanism, maybe with some wobbling but probably not as the sliding is quite precise.

The opposite should not work as one cannot fit the bigger ball in the smaller recess.

 Thanks for that. I have two sets of goggles and one works, but the other does not, on my early 50 DR. I will dig them out and compare.

William

[alan mcfall]

Here is my late contribution, from 1969.  New in the box, with warantee card. I believe it has never been mounted on a camera, at least since leaving the factory.  The warantee card is a computer punch style, the technology of the time. Addressed to Leitz New York, as evidently the warantee work if necessary. was handled there. The actual selling dealer is stamped on the outer envelope that contains the card.  Rome, Gerogia, USA.

I focused for a time on the late dual range lenses, 2357xxx, but the 2358xxx in an above post would seem to be very close to the end of the dual range (1969?). I wonder if sales decreased, or if during the transition to the 6 element( 11817) the dual range was droped.  Records show the last 11918 style at 2358250  and the new 6 element 11817 starting at 2385001.  One black DR summicron has been seen, but most likely it is a one-off special request.

Laney does show the DR production from 1956 to 1968 with 55145 total produced. The bayonet collapsible, the bayonet rigid  chrome and the screw collapsible were all produced in similar quantities..The screw mount rigid summicron was the rare one, of course.

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Edited May 24, 2020 by alan mcfall
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