Once again, the WestLicht Auction House in Vienna offers numerous rarities of the Leitz/Leica brands at its upcoming camera auction, starting at 11 am on June 11, 2016. Among the highlights of the auction lots are the Leica M3 with the serial number 700004, built in 1954. The camera, still in its original condition, is the 4th M camera produced in series; after the M3 No. 700001, previously auctioned by WestLicht for € 900,000, it is the earliest M3 known to exist. This recently-discovered camera is estimated to fetch € 50,000 to € 60,000.

Interested bidders may view the historical cameras and accessories personally starting on June 7 or by telephone appointment; bids may be submitted via www.westlicht-auction.com. One day previously, on June 10, WestLicht auctions photographs for the 14th time. More than 200 high-carat photographs will be exhibited at the WestLicht Museum starting on May 30, and auction catalogues may be ordered starting immediately via www.westlicht-auction.com. The online catalogues offer a wealth of detailed information and images of individual lots.

Among the many other highlights of the approximately 600 auction lots are a very early Leica I with an Elmax lens (estimated value € 10,000 - € 12,000), a black-varnish Leica IIIf manufactured as part of a very small series for the Swedish Army in 1956 (estimated value € 40,000 - € 50,000). A highly sought-after collectors’ item is the half-format Leica built for 72 exposures in Wetzlar – only 30 of these cameras left the factory, and the last of them to be delivered comes to auction with an estimated value of € 30,000 to € 35,000. Two black-varnish Leica M3 cameras, both with their original lenses and packaging and sold by their first owners, are also popular with collectors. A very special camera, however, is one of a kind: in homage to the famous photographer David Douglas Duncan, who celebrated his 100th birthday this past January, it was built as a copy of the special-edition M3D built specifically for Duncan, using the last available original parts from 1956. The original was one of the first cameras equipped with the rapidwinder Leicavit; this was sold at WestLicht in 2013, fetching the world-record price for a serially produced camera of € 1,800,000. The Leica M3D-100 put together now as a painstaking labour of love, featuring black varnish and a matching Summilux lens, is estimated at €50,000 to € 60,000. Many further cameras, including rare special series, prototypes, lenses and accessories – also for regular users at very reasonable prices – round out the offerings of approximately 200 Leica lots.

Bids may be submitted online (www.westlicht-auction.com), in writing, by phone, live worldwide via www.liveauctioneers.com or personally at the WestLicht auction hall at Westbahnstraße 40 in 1070 Vienna, Austria.