In a recent auction in Sweden, a Leica M3 from 1959 fetched an astonishing price of SEK 1,120,000 or $106,485. The camera, listed with an initial asking price of SEK 110,000 or $10,460, attracted a passionate buyer who was willing to pay a hefty amount for this highly sought-after piece.
The listing revealed that the original winding mechanism of the 1959 Leica M3 had been replaced with an M4 type winding mechanism. Furthermore, much of the black paint on the brass had worn away due to extensive use. It is evident that this camera had seen its fair share of action.
While $100K may seem like a significant amount to spend on a camera, it does not surpass the prices fetched by some other Leica cameras at auctions.
In fact, astronomical figures in the several hundred thousand dollars range have become relatively common. As an example, a rare 1957 Leica MP was sold this year for a staggering $1.7 million.
As incredible as that may sound, it is still not the highest price ever obtained for a Leica camera at auction.
In the previous year, Oscar Barnack’s personal 0-series 1923 Leica set a new world record by selling for an astonishing $15 million at the Leitz Photographica Auction. This smashed the previous record of $2.51 million, also set by a Leica camera.