Fancy a gold Leica to add to your vintage camera collection? Better make some space and get your wallet ready; this one is a beauty!
Another day, another rare vintage camera to drool over! Our latest find is yet another stunning rare item that’s guaranteed to make a fine addition on our camera shelves, and put a dent in our wallets; a 24K Gold Leica M4-2 with a matching, German-made, 50mm f1.4 Summilux lens.
According to New York-based ebay seller blattworld1, the listed item is a genuine 24K gold Leica M4-2, complete with original factory warranty papers, official Leitz documents, and a special wood gift box. It’s also said to be “new” (probably meant “mint”) and “factory sealed” but he obviously opened it to take the photos.
Camera Quest tells us that this luxurious model was a special edition unit made 1979 to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Oskar Barnack, the inventor of the Leica camera. There were only 1,000 of these units made, and engraved with Barnack’s signature and “1879 – 1979”, with serial numbers 1527201-1527700 and 1528151-1528650 (so you can go ask the seller for the serial number and check it against these). However, two more gold M4-2 units were made in 1993, with serial numbers 1932001 and 1932002.
While this looks like a legit model, we have to remind everyone again that there aren’t a lot of genuine gold Leica models out there. Some of them, like this gold-plated and amber-covered Leica Standard, are either customized units or Leica copies made with polished brass or thin gold plating. The other gold-plated Leicas are the four rare Luxus Leica units, but only one of them can be accounted for. If you’re curious about the rest of the rare Leicas out there, we have a bunch for you to read about!
If you’re set on getting your hands on this golden beauty, go ahead and check out the ebay listing to find out more and make your best offer.
Photos from the ebay listing by blattworld1
