Leo does Leica

Posted on June 24, 2022 by Robert

Leotax version of a Leica screw mount camera post WW2

Toronto. After WW2, the Japanese optical industry tried to get in to the mighty American retail market. One option was to copy German cameras at much lower prices. This was the choice that Showa Kogaku made (later this maker became Leotax before disappearing in the early 1960s).

Showa Kogaku had practice – its cameras were first manufactured during WW2 copying the Leica II and III. The Leotax  camera shown here is in the 2000 serial number range and is marked ‘Leotax special’ by ‘Showa Kogaku’ on the top plate.

The lens body and mount imitate the design of the f/3.5 5cm Elmar. The lens is engraved as the ‘Letana Anastigmat’ with same speed and focal length as the Elmar. A worthy addition to collections featuring Leica copies. Don’t have one? Terrific! There is one in the Port Colborne auction this weekend, complete with a leather case needed for its strap (no strap lugs on this version).

NB. The auction is in the memory of the late John Kantymir whose collection is the source of the pieces to be auctioned.

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the last round up

Posted on June 23, 2022 by Robert

A sample lot of images in this weekend’s auction

Toronto. PHSC Auctioneer and President Lewko (Clint) Hryhorijiw dropped off the last group of auction lots for this weekend at Port Colborne.

This slide show is the third huge batch of lots that Clint has photographed and organized – and the two day auction promises to be a most memorable event. Both rare items and  user items  – attractive to film and digital folk alike – (eg. photographs, cameras, lenses, accessories, and books, etc.)  are in the many lots. Come on down/up to the Port and enjoy this event. Add some great items to your collection or user gear!

Please note that while everyone is welcome, there will be no consignment lots at the door as all lots are from the collection of the late Bill Kantymir and his late son John. – first come first serve.

PS. click on and check out this poster for the time and place of the Kantymir collection auction this Saturday and Sunday.

This is our final  post of sample lot photos (another 150+ items). The slide show was compiled with the help of an  app called Exhibeo 2. Click on the sample images photo below, then on the lot shown in the upper left and then on any lot icon to see it larger. Your left/right arrows will work to move from one enlarged photo to another. Enjoy!

A sample lot from the June 25-26 auction in Port Colborne

PS. No need to search elsewhere – the two slide shows of lots loaded a few days ago are at this link and this link. Both links have been repeated here for your convenience.

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another Schacht-Travenar

Posted on June 23, 2022 by Robert

Schacht-Travenar f/4 135mm lens in Lordomat breech lens mount.

Toronto. This is a second lens from the 1950s for use on the Lordomat. Remember that the Lordomat was made in Wetzlar by a company called called Leidolf who produced high quality 35mm cameras.  This lens is an f/4, 135mm focal length with an odd breech mount. The lens is designated a Schacht-Travenar 1:4/135.

Schacht was an optical company at the time and made many varieties of the Travenar in various focal lengths and for various cameras. The company is not shown in the few books I have nor is there much reference material online.

This version of the telephoto design (i.e lens to film distance at infinity is shorter than the focal length) was made for the Lordomat camera. The lens has a special breech lens mount. The sturdy little chrome and black lens has the rear elements imbedded in the camera when focussed to infinity.

P.S. Did you know the auction in Port Colborne this weekend has a lovely version of this lens for the Lordomat in an original brown leather case and strap. The case is stamped “Lordomat” on the lid and “Made in Germany” on the bottom.

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Port Colborne Auction this Weekend

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. We are in the home stretch of our first ever auction outside Toronto. The auction is a two day event held on June 25 and 26 featuring lots from the Kantymir collection. You may have seen Bill or his son John and their families at our fairs with tables of wonderful antique cameras and lenses and photographs and accessories for the collectors and more modern versions for the active photographers amongst us – both film and digital.

Through the efforts of our president and auctioneer, Lewko (Clint) Hryhorijiw, A second huge batch of lots has been photographed. This two day auction promises to be most memorable with both  rare items and  user items for both film and digital folk – photographs, cameras, lenses, accessories, books, and more. Come on down/up to the Port and enjoy this event while adding to your collection or user gear!

While everyone is welcome, there will be no consignment lots at the door as all lots are from the Kantymir collection – first come first serve.

This is our second post of sample lot photos (another 200+ items). The slide show was compiled with the help of an  app called Exhibeo 2. Click on the lot montage photo below, then on the lot shown in the upper left and then on any lot icon to see it larger. Your left/right arrows will work to move from one enlarged photo to another. Enjoy!

Auction June 25 & 26 in Port Colborne, Ontario. Click montage to see a second slide show

PS. No need to search elsewhere – the slide show of lots loaded a few days ago is at the ink repeated here for your convenience..

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Automat? What about a Lordomat 35mm lens?

Posted on June 21, 2022 by Robert

A Schacht Travenar 35mm lens for the Lordomat

Toronto. If you like watching old movies, you have likely seen the famous Automat cafeteria in NYC. These automated restaurants were threatened and often ‘ate’ up by by the growth of fast food outlets.

Sadly our camera industry was no different than the food industry. In the 1950s, when camera companies jostled one another for retail sales, a small German firm in Wetzlar called Leidolf produced high quality 35mm cameras to compete on the open market.  An interesting story; at one time Leidolf made parts for Leitz before competing with them by manufacturing cameras. The company was absorbed by Wild Heerbrug who were later absorbed by Leitz – small world. The Canadian branch of Leitz was known as Wild-Leitz in the 1970s.

This coated lens is an f/3.5 35mm focal length with an odd breech mount. The lens is designated a Schacht-Travenar 1:3.5/35. Schacht was an optical company at the time and made many varieties of the 35mm Travenar. For the Lordomat camera, the lens was placed in a breech lens mount. The sturdy little chrome and black lens has the rear elements imbedded in the camera.

Did you know the auction in Port Colborne this weekend has a lovely version for the Lordomat in an original brown leather case and strap. The case is stamped “Lordomat” on the lid and ‘Made in Germany’ on the bottom.

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a heck of a lens

Posted on June 20, 2022 by Robert

c1931-2 5cm f/2.5 Hektor lens

Toronto. The 5cm, f/2.5 Hektor was the first ‘fast’ lens produced by Leitz for the Leica. The mount was much like its stable-mate. the 5cm, f/3.5 Elmar. About 10,000 were made, most before 1938. Production records show the beginning year was 1931, but some sources say a few were made in late 1930. Leitz made some that were camera specific. Very early none standard Hectors were not rangefinder coupled either.

Later in 1931 the so called Standard Leica was made with a standard distance from film to lens flange and from then on all lenses became interchangeable with all camera bodies. The lens mount and lenses were stamped with a tiny letter ‘O’ to signify usability of standard lenses.

If you want a 5cm Hektor for your collection, the June 25 & 26 auction in Port Colborne has one with an authentic front lens cap and marked with the small ‘O’.

 

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did you hear? the fat’s in the auction!

Posted on June 19, 2022 by Robert

a beautiful example of a 1931 9cm Fat Elmar in black enamel with both caps

Toronto. The 9cm Elmar was made from 1931 to 1968 – nearly 40 years. It was an early addition to the Leica stable once interchangeable lenses were marketed. The 9cm focal length had a pleasant presentation of head and bust size portraits.

In 1931 and 1932, the 9cm Elmar was sold in the so called ‘fat‘ mount – reminiscent of the mount for the faster 73mm Hektor lens. After 2 years the mount was offered in the ‘thin’ version. Production of the ‘fat’ Elmar lasted 2 years and totalled just under 2,500 made – under 1,000 in 1931. The very earliest 9cm Elmars have neither an external serial number, nor a means to adjust a rangefinder as the focussing mount is turned.

You don’t have one in your collection yet? Well are you in luck, A 1931 Fat Elmar 9cm lens in beautiful black enamel with neither a serial number nor linkage to a rangefinder will be offered in its own brown leather case at the June 25 & 26 Port Colborne auction.

Note. The title for this post is a riff on the old saying (no so in this case), “the fat’s in the fire“.

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as good as a nod

Posted on June 18, 2022 by Robert

c 1929 Leitz WINKO right angle viewer accessory

Toronto. So called detective cameras became popular once the speed of dry plate technology allowed hand held use in day light. The camera itself was built into or enclosed by various satchels, leather boxes, purses, etc.

At our December, 2003 ‘Show and Tell‘ meeting, an excited Bill Kantymir showed us his very rare 1889 Dr Krugener detective camera that he had picked up on the way to the meeting. It was a wooden glass plate camera housed in a black leather case. While rather large to our eyes, with no tripod attached, people of the era would not suspect it being a camera.

When the tiny Leica went on the market and began the minicam revolution, a need for added lenses and accessories became apparent. To meet the ‘detective’ aspirations, Leitz came up with a fancy right angle viewer so the photographer would seem to look away from his target subject.

The earliest version of this viewer with a large thermo-plastic (Bakelite) black eyepiece was offered in 1929 to fit a none rangefinder Leica. You don’t have a WINKO in your collection? You are in luck, a beautiful c1929 model WINKO in the original leather case will be auctioned at our Port Colborne auction on June 25 & 26!

NB. The title of this post is a riff on the old saying, ‘a nod is as good as a wink‘.

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a view from above

Posted on June 17, 2022 by Robert

c1932 AUFSU waist level viewfinder for Leica

Toronto. When the novel Leica camera took off in the 1930s, Leitz created a plethora of accessories to allow the tiny marvel to be used for almost every photographic task.

Years earlier, folders and box cameras used a viewfinder where one looked down to see the scene in front of the camera – the ‘belly button school of photography’ later emulated by the twin lens reflex cameras.

To allow a Leica to do this effect, a right angle viewer called the AUFSU was offered in 1932. Improvements were made a few years later and the ‘code’ was changed accordingly.

If you are missing this earliest of waist level viewfinders, then look no further! An extremely rare example without the accessory shoe, or the ‘cross and circle’ focussing aid – just four tiny black rectangles – one in each corner of the view – will be auctioned off June 25 & 26 in our Port Colborne auction.

As a bonus, this AUFSU comes complete with a brown leather case, Both viewer and case are signed “Leitz”. See you in the Port!

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Port Colborne Auction June 25 & 26

Posted on June 16, 2022 by Robert

Toronto. Our joint journal editor, David Bridge whipped up this tasty poster for the auction weekend we have landed for the end of June. I am nearly finished photographing the Leica stuff (some rather rare pieces) and will post them shortly. Meantime, the post shows how to get there while this link shows a sample of what will be auctioned.

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