Leica 35mm Model A

This camera has the all black finish of early Leicas. Its most important feature is the 50mm f/3.5 Anastigmat lens. This lens name only appears on the null series Leicas and the first production batch up to about serial no. 300. The lens has the original lens cap. Like all early Leica lenses, it collapses into the camera body, but unlike later lenses, lines on the lens mount and body have to be aligned for the lens mount to collapse.

The early Anastigmat lens was a complex five element design with the three rear elements cemented together. The lens in this example is very cloudy. This is typical of early Leica camera lenses where the elements were cemented together with Canada balsam that has deteriorated with time.

This camera was donated by Eugine Anderegg, at one time chief representative for Leitz optics in North America and a long time editor of Leica magazine. This camera's serial number is 149.

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