Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Update June 27, 4 p.m.: The 0 series No. 112 was auctioned for 7.2 million euros including premium.

Leica 0-Series No. 112

Leitz Photographica Auction offers one of the rarest cameras in history at the Leica Century Event

The first serially produced Leica camera, Leica I, revolutionised the world of photography 100 years ago with its compact and handy format. Two years before production commenced in 1925, Ernst Leitz Werke had built a few prototypes – the so-called 0-series with the serial numbers 101-125. The existence of almost a dozen of these Leica 0-series cameras is still known today. As milestones in the history of photography and trailblazers of photojournalism, they are now coveted collector's items. In 2022, auction house Leitz Photographica Auction set a new world record for the most expensive camera (14.4 million euros including premium1) by auctioning the 0-Series No. 105. On the occasion of the anniversary celebrations at Leica Welt in Wetzlar, Leitz Photographica Auction is once again auctioning a 0 series in June 2025 – No. 112. The camera will be presented to the public for the first time during the Milan Design Week2, being on display in the Leica Store Milano from 4 April.

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!

Wien/Wetzlar, 5 March 2025. Taking place on 27 June, during the Leica Century Event at Leica World in Hessen (Germany), Leitz Photographica Auction 46 will feature one of the most extraordinary lots the history of photography has to offer: the Leica 0-series no. 112. A little more than 100 years old, the camera is one of the first 35mm cameras ever produced. Its assembling completed, no. 112 was personally accepted by Oskar Barnack, head of the test department at Ernst Leitz Werke. Shortly before World War I, Barnack had designed the “Ur-Leica”.

Said camera – which relied on 35mm film and was small enough to fit in a jacket pocket – would eventually serve as a model for the Leica I and its prototypes, the 0-series.

Two world records within five years

While the ‘Ur-Leica’ is owned by Leica Camera AG (the name under which the company is trading today) and not for sale, passionate collectors of historical cameras sometimes get the rare opportunity to purchase a 0-series at auction. Just how coveted these cameras are can be seen from the results of recent auctions: The last three 0-series to be auctioned all changed hands for more than two million euros each. Leitz Photographica Auction is responsible for two of these results. The auction house first set the world record for the most expensive camera in 2018 with the 0 series no. 122 (2.4 million euros including premium) and then significantly surpassed it in 2022 with the 0 series no. 105 (14.4 million euros including premium). No. 105 still holds the world record today.

“A 0-series for sale certainly draws the attention of the international collectors‘ scene”, says Alexander Sedlak, Managing Director of Leitz Photographica Auction. “These prototypes laid the foundation for modern photography. To auction such a legendary camera, honoring the 100th anniversary of the Leica I, is a particular pleasure.”

As extraordinary as the 0-series No. 112, which spearheads the highlights of Leitz Photographica Auction 46, is the setting in which it will be presented to the public. As part of Milan Design Week, the auction house’s upcoming top lot will be exhibited at the Leica Store Milano from 4 April onward. Leitz Photographica Auction will present further highlights in the coming weeks. The full catalogue of the auction will be published in May.


1 Buyers pay a fee of 20 percent of the hammer price to the auction house.

2 7 April to 13 April 2025.

  • Thanks 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • LUF Admin changed the title to Leica 0-Series No. 112 To Be Auctioned [Update: 7.2 Mio Euro]
On 6/26/2025 at 11:31 AM, LUF Admin said:

Update June 27, 4 p.m.: The 0 series No. 112 was auctioned for 7.2 million euros including premium.

Someone snagged a last minute gift on the way to the Bezos wedding in Venice.  

  • Haha 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Stuart Richardson said:

I assume this is just a backup for the guy who purchased no. 105, right?

Given the alleged repair turn-round times, it's probably a worthwhile purchase.

 

  • Haha 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Advertisement (gone after registration)

It certainly adds to the enjoyment of my well brassed reissue.

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!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...