Angela von Einem/ Leica Memorandum

[Roland Zwiers]

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Today in the post was an unexpected present relating to 50 years Leica Historica:
A new edition of the research by Angela von Einem about the several versions of the Leica I.
With an introduction by Lars Netopil.

The German title is: Die varianten der Leica I 

This fascinating book is relevant for many subjects that we are discussing on this Forum!
I can already imagine the need for a translation in English!

Now the author refers to a source that is new to me called Leica-Memorandum.
It seems to concern a collection of handwritten notes by various unnamed Leitz employees in the period 1924-1934 or so.
The handwriting is exceptionally beautiful and easy to read, much unlike the handwriting of Oskar Barnack 
Moreover, the handwritten notes contain crucial information on the subjects that I have specified in the tags.

Now I didn't know of the existence of this crucial source.
Is it a booklet like Oskar Barnack's Werkstattbuch?
Is is a map containing dozens of individual handwritten notes?
Are all these notes written by the same person?
The handwriting style is very uniform and very likely by a lady who was not in a hurry.

When have these notes been written?

When a note refers to 1924 ('December 1924: the first items sold'), has this note been written in 1924 as well?
This is crucial information!
On page 107 there is a note on enlargers with an overview of enlargers sold in the period 1925-1934.
Obviously, this note must have been written in or after 1934.

Are the notes included in Leica-Memorandum digitally available?
This source may be equally significant as the deliverybook 'Kamera' and the handwritten notes by Oskar Barnack in his Werkstattbuch.

Roland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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