Leica m3 Seal

Can anyone tell a complete novice where to find the factory seal

Take off the lens. Look at the lens mount on the camera. There are several screws holding it onto the camera. When manufactured, the one at the top (12 o'clock) is covered with a black sealing wax seal with an L embossed in it.

 

When repairs were done by the factory, they also put a wax L seal back. One has a raised L, the other a sunken L.

 

Some Leica-trained technicians were issued their own unique sealing stamps (not with an L), Sharry Krauter and DAG have ones that they use.

 

Obviously, the factory seal can be forged!

thanks , I found the black wax but not lettering

DAG uses a stamp. The ones I've seen from Sherry K (including the M4P I had) had a "K" hand-scratched into the wax, probably with a pin. Maybe she lost her official Leica stamp, dunno, never thought to ask her.

I have both versions mentioned above of Sherry's and a raised L from Leica in NJ. Seems to me there used to be a Y from Leitz prior to the move from New York? Don't have that body handy.

i've heard that leica has quit using the wax seal in the newer cameras.

Leica stopped stamping the seal prior to 1982. My M2 went to Leica NJ in '82 with an 'L'

and came back plain.

Very early M3 cameras didn't even have a screw in the 12 O'clock position. The wax "L" seal for Leitz Wetzlar production and the less common "C" for Leitz Canada production started in about 1957. The practice was discontinued with the production of the M4-2, which had a wax seal, but no letter identification.

 

Leica M cameras produced since the first M6 have had no wax seal at all (just a screw at the 12 O'clock position). When cameras were being produced with a wax seal, Leica authorized repairpersons had an identification letter (letting the buyer know that the camera was properly serviced). For example, DAG was "92."

 

The practice of a wax seal at the 12 O'clock position has always been a tradition reserved only for M cameras. The practice of the wax seal from authorized repair people (as a practice condoned by Leica) was discontinued in the late-1970s. In spite of this, some repair people (formerly authorized by Leica) have continued the practice.

 

Today, for those cameras repaired that originally had a wax seal, most Leica repair people (including Leica) fill the 12 O'clock screw with wax (no identification).

My M4 was serviced 2 years ago by DAG. Wax seal at 12 o'clock:

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<img src=http://www.patternassociates.com/rico/photo/misc/dag92.jpg>

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My memory is a bit vague since I asked Don this a year or more ago, but his dad may have

been the first authorized repair person in the U.S. outside of Leica. The 92 stamp was given

to Norman Goldberg at that time, who later passed it on to Don. When I asked him what the

"92" signified he said he had no idea but guessed it must have have some internal meaning

to Leica.