A Leica 0-series camera – one of only a handful made by Leica inventor Oskar Barnack in the 1920s – has sold for nearly five times its estimate at the Leitz Photographica Auction in Germany.
The camera, serial number 112, sold for €7,200,000 including the buyer’s premium – nearly five the €1.5m to €2m it was expected to sell for on Friday (27 June).
The camera was one of only 23 0-series cameras made by Barnack in the early 1920s ahead of the release of the Leica I, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.
Leitz Photographica had said about the camera ahead of the sale: “Only 22 of these 0-Series cameras were made, and it is believed that only about half of them still exist today, making each surviving example exceedingly valuable and highly sought after by museums and private collectors. According to the Leica Archives delivery book, No. 112 was delivered directly to Oskar Barnack, adding a unique provenance to its rare status.
“The offered camera is in commendable overall condition for its age. The body shows a well-preserved finish, and the engravings remain clear. A few small pieces of the original vulcanite covering are missing, but these minor imperfections do not significantly detract from its appearance. The pressure film plate is replaced with a later version.”
The camera was keenly promoted by Leitz Photographica ahead of the sale, as the Leica 0-Series cameras only rarely come up for sale.
“The last three 0-Series to be auctioned all changed hands for more than two million euros each,” Leitz Photographica said ahead of the sale. “Leitz Photographica Auction is responsible for two of these results. The auction house first set the world record for the most expensive camera in 2018 with the 0-Series no. 122 (€2.4m including premium) and then significantly surpassed it in 2022 with the 0 series No. 105 (€14.4m including premium). No. 105 still holds the world record today.
“A 0-Series for sale certainly draws the attention of the international collectors‘ scene”, says Alexander Sedlak, Managing Director of Leitz Photographica Auction. “These prototypes laid the foundation for modern photography. To auction such a legendary camera, honouring the 100th anniversary of the Leica I, is a particular pleasure.”
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