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July 1945 “AMERIK ARMEE” MILITARY LEICA IIIc #367440, verified by Jim Lager
– One of the rather rare “Besatzung” (Occupation) Leicas issued by the Leica factory in 1945, with supporting documentation & history
1. CONDITIONThis 1945 Leica IIIc is one of about 200 Leicas issued by Leitz starting almost immediately after the factory was occupied by American troops on 29 March, 1945.
Cosmetics are pretty decent for an actual “shooting war” camera, fairly good chrome on top and bottom, a couple of edge marks above the “Leica” engraving, a small mark between the VF & right RF window, a little chrome wear on the back edge and strap lugs. Base has light bright marks, but overall is very clean. Vulcanite has been replaced, a nice job, quite hard to tell. Black color, may have been gray originally.
Shutter winds on partially and releases, but none of the speeds are functioninga CLA is certainly in order. However, I would not replace the red blind, as that’s part of the camera’s originality & value. RF a trifle faint but quite useable, VF bright. Comes with a very uncommon and distinctive WW2 Bakelite body cap (only one I’ve ever seen), correct for the period, & WW2-style strap lugs.
2. THE LEICA CASE has a black lining, slightly funky, and characteristic of the later wartime Leitz cases. The lens covering has been resewn, but is mounted at the wrong angle! Otherwise case is strong with a good strap (one strap lug has been reglued).
3. BOOK & DOCUMENTATION Comes with a 1945 American photo book, “Our Leave in Switzerland”, contains 200 photos, in good but not great condition, and 12 pages of documentation, including emails and letters from Leica historian Jim Lager and a previous owner, verifying the authenticity of this camera.
This includes a copy of the Q3 2004 LHSA VIEWFINDER with the Leica Deliveries – 1945 article (Vol 37, #3).
4. A LITTLE MORE HISTORY FOR MILITARY LEICA ENTHUSIASTS…
ABOUT THE “BESATZUNG” (AMERICAN OCCUPATION) LEICAS
Leitz’s home town of Wetzlar was captured by the U.S. First Army on 29 March, 1945, andas reported in Stars & Stripes on April 1the Leitz factory itself was seized intact and undamaged shortly thereafter (see photos).
After WW2 ended, Wetzlar was in the Germany’s American Zone. The Besatzung (Occupation) Leicas are the camera bodies, lenses and accessories that Leitz had immediately to hand and was able to make available to Allied forces (mainly American officers), starting at the end of March 1945, and throughout the rest of that year. All Betsatzung cameras were in civilian chrome and had no German, American or other military engravings. Many had gray vulcanite and red shutter curtains. There are not many, just over 200 total, of which perhaps less than half survive, possibly about 100 or less. Most likely came back to the U.S. with returning servicemen in late 1945 – early ’46.
They are recorded in Leitz records as being delivered to “Amerik.Armee”, “U.S. Armee”,”U.S.A.”, “A.E. Besatz” (Allied Expeditionary Occupation), “A.M.E. Besatzung” (Allied Military Expedition(ary).
They comprise two broad groups:
GROUP A – Serial #s 385438-385599 Series (43 cameras)These are Leica IIIc’s that fall between serial numbers 385438 and 385599, plus #s 367243 & 367248.
These 43 cameras were delivered to U.S. forces on Mon, 9 April, 1945,* before the war in Europe had even officially ended.
*Source: Jim Lager, “Whermacht Leica” 2. GROUP B – Serial #s 367326 – 367500 (175 cameras)This batch appears to have originally been produced in 1940.* (NOTE: Cameras were not always released in numerical production order.)
Jim Lager mentions in the extensive documentation (which comes with the sale), that it’s taken 30 years for him to find representative samples, and that he believes all the cameras in the 367326 – 367500 batch, except one, were delivered to the American Army.
He also believes that Leitz originally meant to issue them as IIId’s (a IIIc with built-in delayed action), but the required mechanisms were not readily available.
9 May – 25 May 1945 – at least 45 cameras issued to American forces.
They included:
LOOGI – IIIc + 5cm Elmar
LOOQA – IIIc + 5cm Summitar
LOOZS – IIIc body only
June/July 1945 – Nov 1945 – most of the remaining 128 cameras were issued.
They included:
LOOPN – IIIc + 5cm Coated Elmar
LOOKX – IIIc + 5cm Coated Summitar
Feb & July 1946 Two cameras from this group were delivered to non-military customers.
*Source: “Leica Historica, Band 1, Gewinde-Kameras 1925-1960” Known surviving Bezatzung (Occupation) Leicas from Group B, by number:
IIIc #367243* delivered Monday 9 April 1945IIIc #367248* delivered Monday 9 April 1945IIIc #367376*IIIc #367399* delivered Monday 11 June 1945 (LOOGI), red curtain, gray vulcanite, now body only, sold to Italy, $1,400.00 IIIc #367383* delivered Monday 11 June 1945 (LOOGI), Amerik ArmeeIIIc #367386*IIIc #367399*IIIc #367440*, body only (LOOZS), delivered Sat July 7, 1945. This camera has been verified as a genuine Besatzung Leica by Jim Lager (email in photos).IIIc #385441* delivered Monday 9 April 1945IIIc #367454*IIIc #367457,* delivered Friday, 11 May, 1945IIIc #367481*, non-original body covering and shutter materials, sold to Germany, body only, $800.00IIIc #367484*IIIc #367489* + uncoated Elmar (LOOGI) 591294 delivered Wed 16 May, 1945 to a U.S. Army colonelIIIc #367457 delivered Friday 11 May 1945IIIc #367497* delivered Wed 16 May 1945, LOOQA, to a U.S. Army Colonel *Source, Jim Lager, “Whermacht Leica”, and by email from research in records held at Solms in 2003
Full money-back refund if the camera’s history is not as described (buyer pays return shipping).
I ship internationally via USPS International Priority, please check cost before bidding.
NOTE: For Asian addresses, I will need your address in Roman as well as Asian characters (new U.S. Post Office rule).
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Category: Cameras and Photo:Vintage Movie and Photography:Vintage Cameras:Rangefinder Cameras
Location: Laguna Beach, California