H-A Posted September 23, 2020 Share #1 Posted September 23, 2020 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) Having spent over 30 years looking at car boot sales for unusual cameras, finally last Sunday morning I bought a Leica :) Probably paid too much, but cleaned up well and works perfectly, currently testing with film. Vulcanite is very brown, but I quite like the overall brassing and patina. Not sure what has been done to the flash shoe, looks like a copper contact, any idea if this was an upgrade? Thanks H-A 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! Edited September 23, 2020 by H-A Not sure if showing serial numbers is a good thing 2 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/313598-car-boot-leica-111-1935/?do=findComment&comment=4051110'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 23, 2020 Posted September 23, 2020 Hi H-A, Take a look here Car Boot Leica 111 1935. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
david strachan Posted September 23, 2020 Share #2 Posted September 23, 2020 Welcome H-A. A nice find, with a patina to give street cred. Go over it with a toothbrush to get the dirt out of the chrome, and then rub the body with leather conditioner may bring up the colour a bit. A CLA may be wise even if it runs well...will make it run silky smooth and speeds will be accurate. We look forward to seeing your contributions to the Forum. All best... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted September 24, 2020 Share #3 Posted September 24, 2020 That contact in the flash shoe is certainly a non-Leica addition, and possibly relatively late. It is a nice find and a suitable candidate for a CLA to turn it into a rather nice user camera. I'm not convinced that the covering is original. Although Vulcanite does turn brown occasionally, I have the impression that this was a later change. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luigi bertolotti Posted September 24, 2020 Share #4 Posted September 24, 2020 (edited) Yes, the vulcanite can be a later recover...(looks to me also a bit "too smooth" .. but can be the picture..) : is anyway an original Leica III dated 1935 : 85 years can bring some ailment... 😉 ; 3rd party made sync contacts are not uncommon on Leicas... and yours one is positioned in a way that doesn't disturb too much : if you will have it CLAed professionally, it can be restored, anyway. Edited September 24, 2020 by luigi bertolotti Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
willeica Posted September 24, 2020 Share #5 Posted September 24, 2020 A lot of mid 1930s Leicas have covering which has turned brown or even greenish with age. I have 3 or 4 examples like that. Some people have said that Leica used leather instead of vulcanite for a period and that the 'boot polish' to make the leather black ran out with age, but I have not stripped any of my cameras to verify that. I can post pictures of the cameras if anyone is interested. Also, cameras which look like the one shown above regularly show up at auction and fetch good prices as some collectors find them quite attractive. The positioning of the sync socket, if that is what is, in the middle of the shoe is unusual as they were usually added at the back of the top plate or on the front of the camera. None of these were Leica 'upgrades' as far as I know. The first model manufactured with a flash sync socket was the IIIf Black Dial. Just prior to that, a device called a VACU could be used with a cam shaped shaped speed dial to operate an off camera flash called the CEYOO, if my memory is correct. If this camera is being subjected to a CLA the sync arrangements could be looked at. Obviously if it is planned to use the camera with a modern flash that sits in a shoe, then the socket might need to be moved to another location. A nice find at a car boot sale. William Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrogallol Posted September 24, 2020 Share #6 Posted September 24, 2020 I have a brown/green one. I have read elsewhere here that it is just ageing of the vulcanite. Not sure how well the colour shows up in this picture, compared to the black ones of similar vintage. 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/313598-car-boot-leica-111-1935/?do=findComment&comment=4051470'>More sharing options...
willeica Posted September 25, 2020 Share #7 Posted September 25, 2020 Advertisement (gone after registration) 20 hours ago, Pyrogallol said: I have a brown/green one. I have read elsewhere here that it is just ageing of the vulcanite. Not sure how well the colour shows up in this picture, compared to the black ones of similar vintage. 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! Someone tried to capture my attention at Photographica in London last year by saying that he had an 'Irish Leica' . It turned out to be one of the greenish 1930s LTMs, which I declined as I already had the first item below. Here are a couple of mine with the Standard being greenish (not sure if it shows up here) and the III being brownish. William 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-A Posted September 25, 2020 Author Share #8 Posted September 25, 2020 Many thanks for the response, I have applied some Dubbin to the vulcanite/leather and have got a nice deep brown colour. I have attached some more pictures that show original texture near the lens and worn finish to other parts. This camera has had some serious use I would say. 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/313598-car-boot-leica-111-1935/?do=findComment&comment=4052283'>More sharing options...
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