The rare Leica II Luxus camera, which is to be sold at auction Photo: BONHAMS
One of the rarest cameras in the world, which is one of just four ever made, is to be sold at auction.
The gold plated Leica Luxus II camera is the only surviving model found and is the first time the camera and its distinctive crocodile skin case has ever been seen.
It is valued at between £500,000 and £800,000 but experts believe because of the trend for the Leica brand, it is likely to reach more than £1m at auction and could become the most expensive camera ever sold.
The camera was given to its late owner, a keen amateur photographer, after the end of World War Two. He used it throughout the 1940s and 1950s and is unlikely to have been aware of how valuable it was to become.
Marc Allum, antiques expert and a presenter on Antiques Roadshow, discovered the camera on the programme 12 years ago and said it has the potential to be the “most valuable find ever” for the BBC show.
“Leicas are the best cameras, the 35mm film was developed by Leica,” he said.
“They used to make specialist editions and one-offs. This is one of four ever made, it’s probably one of the rarest Leicas in the world.
“The whereabouts of the other three are unknown. It might be the only one that has survived.
“I found it on the roadshow 12 years ago and it’s been languishing, ready to resurface and it’s taken a long time.
“It was a strange experience at the time. It was put in front of me and I looked at it in complete disbelief. I never expected to see a camera like that.
“At the time it wasn’t worth anywhere near as much as it is now. It’s just that the market has moved so quickly.”
Experts believe the camera may have been specially made for a wealthy owner, due to its gold plating and crocodile skin case.
Mr Allum, who wrote The Antiques Magpie, added: “It’s the only example of a camera in this distinctive case.
“It’s a fantastic thing and could be the most expensive thing to ever come from Antiques Roadshow. It’s the rarest camera I’ve ever handled.
“I’ve been literally shaking with anticipation.”
The story of the discovery is due to feature on the Christmas show of Antiques Roadshow.
Jon Baddeley, managing director of Bonhams which is hosting the sale in Hong Kong, said: “We valued another Leica camera at £625,000, and that was one of 95.
“The one we are putting up is one of only four to come off the production line. That makes it about 25 times more rare. It’s hard to put a price on it.
“From a collectors point of view I would be disappointed if it didn’t go for more than £1m.
“It’s a very, very limited run. There might be more, but I’ve never seen them and only three more can ever be found.”
Mr Baddeley said he believes the camera was given to its late owner by a family friend after the war. He added “He wasn’t a collector. He was given it because he was a keen amateur photographer.”
A Leica 0 series camera, which was believed to be one of 25 produced in 1923 as test pieces for the 35mm film market, became the most expensive camera ever sold when it was bought for £1.7m at an auction in Vienna last year.
Two special presentation Leica II’s were made with one presented to Professor August Piccard, one of the pioneers of the exploration of the stratosphere and another to Dr Leon Frobenius, a leading explorer of Central America.
The Leica Luxus II camera will be on display at Bonhams until October 30 before it is shipped to Hong Kong for auction on November 22.
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