Case Leica Luftwaffe ?

[luigi bertolotti]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

My modest opinion is that NAPPA, as written, could also be a Company ("brand") name... not necessarly related to the real material used for this item...

rather sure assesments can be that :

- is very old... an interesting item

- is not a Leitz regular product

- there is not a clear evidence of Luftwaffe relation

 

 

 

Edited April 13 by luigi bertolotti

[qqphot]

on perusing the photos I almost think that the flap bearing the button in question looks like it has been repurposed whole from some other item, with the shape of the flap hand cut out of a larger piece (see the rough edge as if done with scissors or a blade) and the new flap stitched into an existing case, since the line of stitching where it meets the case lid appears to have been re-stitched too.

[jaapv]

I think you are right - the embossed letters are too close to the top as well. 

[UliWer]

I can assure you that „Deutsche Arbeit“ would never appear on any product made in Germany (at any times) since it doesn‘t make any sense. A literal translation to English would be „German Labour“ …

So whoever attached this button on your case had a reason to do so: to make it appear as if it was mad in Germany. This is a silly reason. Better you don‘t pay any attention to it other than it proves a fake.  

[jaapv]

11 hours ago, UliWer said:

I can assure you that „Deutsche Arbeit“ would never appear on any product made in Germany (at any times) since it doesn‘t make any sense. A literal translation to English would be „German Labour“ …

So whoever attached this button on your case had a reason to do so: to make it appear as if it was mad in Germany. This is a silly reason. Better you don‘t pay any attention to it other than it proves a fake.  

It should be “ made in Germany”. The UK introduced a law in 1887 to prevent foreign goods from being sold in Britain by demanding a label “made in xxx “ on imported goods. It soon backfired when the public found out that “made in Germany” stood for higher quality than local products. ( sounds to familiar? 😂) Since then German made articles bear the text Made in Germany. 
All the stuff I could find on eBay that was marked Deutsche Arbeit were fakes The most hilarious one was a pair of “Rare” WWll Genuine Officers Gloves with buttons similar to the one on this case, but imprinted REAL NAPPA 🤣 Asking price: 480€ ! From Bulgaria, selling dozens of these rare gloves.  

[250swb]

6 hours ago, jaapv said:

It should be “ made in Germany”. The UK introduced a law in 1887 to prevent foreign goods from being sold in Britain by demanding a label “made in xxx “ on imported goods. It soon backfired when the public found out that “made in Germany” stood for higher quality than local products. ( sounds to familiar? 😂) Since then German made articles bear the text Made in Germany. 
All the stuff I could find on eBay that was marked Deutsche Arbeit were fakes The most hilarious one was a pair of “Rare” WWll Genuine Officers Gloves with buttons similar to the one on this case, but imprinted REAL NAPPA 🤣 Asking price: 480€ ! From Bulgaria, selling dozens of these rare gloves.  

The 1887 Merchandise Marks Act was to stop shoddy foreign goods being sold as 'made in Britain'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchandise_Marks_Act_1887

There was no worry about German goods specifically at that time, the British Empire could make it's own sausages.

[UliWer]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

vor 7 Stunden schrieb jaapv:

Since then German made articles bear the text Made in Germany.

I am not completely sure but I think that you don’t find the „Made in Germany“ on Leitz products.

Usually it was „E. Leitz, Wetzlar“ and sometimes „E.Leitz, Wetzlar Germany“, the latter for exported products.  There wasn‘t much exporting - by means of civil trade - for products to be used for military equipment… 

[jaapv]

By Jingo! You’re right ! 🤣

 

23 minutes ago, 250swb said:

The 1887 Merchandise Marks Act was to stop shoddy foreign goods being sold as 'made in Britain'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchandise_Marks_Act_1887

There was no worry about German goods specifically at that time, the British Empire could make it's own sausages.

 

[luigi bertolotti]

On 4/14/2025 at 9:11 PM, UliWer said:

I can assure you that „Deutsche Arbeit“ would never appear on any product made in Germany (at any times) since it doesn‘t make any sense. A literal translation to English would be „German Labour“ …

So whoever attached this button on your case had a reason to do so: to make it appear as if it was mad in Germany. This is a silly reason. Better you don‘t pay any attention to it other than it proves a fake.  

The historical reference to merchandise mark act is very suggestive... and makes me to add a bookish reference (in similar age) to the evocative meaning of "German Labour" in Eastern Europe : in one of the finest short novels of Cechov ("Nevskji Prospekt") a young conceited russian offcier, during his intent to court a pleasant german lady, goes to her husband leather workshop and, just to have a reason to be there, asks the husband to quote him a leather case... surprised by the high price asked, the husband quietly says "German Labour.. a russian craftsman would ask 2 roubles for" 😄. Sorry for the pedantic reference.. but found really fun the combination of material and probable origin of the device of this thread 😉

[250swb]

And isn't it against logic that the German military would order 'soft' leather cases for Leica cameras, given they were meant for the war front? But to continue the belief does this mean it's now supposed to be a luxury case for high rank Officers? But look at most photos of Rommel with his Leica and he doesn't even use a case, I guess even he knew how irritating a case can be.

[jaapv]

4 hours ago, 250swb said:

And isn't it against logic that the German military would order 'soft' leather cases for Leica cameras, given they were meant for the war front?

They would have ordered Kevlar to make them bulletproof. 🤣