E. Leitz Wetzlar Luftwaffe

[donor_libon]

<p>Hi<br>

I just bought a camera. I think it is fake, but please confirm it. Whether it is fake or not, how much could this one worth if it works well?</p>

<p><a href="http://postimg.org/image/uza1z35fh/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s14.postimg.org/uza1z35fh/100077.jpg" alt="100077" border="0" /></a><br /><br /> <a href="http://postimg.org/image/4pozgaji5/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s14.postimg.org/4pozgaji5/100078.jpg" alt="100078" border="0" /></a><br /><br /> <a href="http://postimg.org/image/u77dzw18d/" target="_blank"><img src="http://s14.postimg.org/u77dzw18d/100079.jpg" alt="100079" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></p>

[leicaglow]

<p>I'm not the definitive expert around here, but I say fake, due to the screws, engraving font on the bottom, The shine on the base plate open key sheen, shape of the hot shoe, and the knurling is too deep and not fine enough, shape of the body metal as it curves toward the vulcanite. I could go on, but these are pretty obvious to me.</p>

[donor_libon]

<p>Thanks for your help. I have been browsing the web for hours, but so far I haven't found anything of this replica (only the original one)<br>

Is it maybe a rare replica? How much could it worth?</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>Worth as much as any other Zorki 1, perhaps with a bit added or deducted for the painting work.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>My Leica née Zorki was the even rarer Swedish Army Leica (in gold & rosewood) and I paid around US $125 for it a few years ago. Also $125 for my rare all-black Contax II née Kiev.<br>

Enjoy. These are often very decent shooters, and you have the ability to choke up the real Leica collectors. :)</p>

[james_lai]

<p>As others have said, its fake. It may work well as a camera, but be careful where you take it -- importing an object with Nazi symbols is a criminal offence in Germany, and probably other countries as well. I suspect you may choke up more than just the real Leica collectors if you use it in public.</p>

[steve_bellayr]

<p>Beware before you put down good money on Leica "Luftewaffe" these things when real and when they come up are usually very worn and extremely expensive. A true pristine example if such exists would be in a major auction with a high estimate or reserve.</p>

[rogerwb]

<p>Real Luftwaffe Leicas are grey and do not have that phony engraving on the top.</p>

[james_elwing]

<p>Clearly a Russian fake. They are not rare. Nice to have one. Hope you didn't pay too much. Yes, JDM, they do affect Leica collectors, sometimes in a comical way.</p>

[Rick_van_Nooij]

<p>Aargh another "Escaped-from-the-tractor-factory Leica".<br /><br />They're sold at around a $100 through Ebay....I think they're worth $40 tops. And I've found that the faked ones are usually in such a poor mechanical condition that they're not usable at all.<br>

<br />I hope you didn't pay too much.</p>

[rogerwb]

<p>Too bad the work on these only goes as far as the exterior cosmetics. With a CLA and new shutter curtains, these are not bad cameras. BTW- the shoe on top is only an accessory shoe, not a "hot shoe"</p>

[Andrew in Austin]

<p>That's the rub - these Ukrainian Rembrandt wannabees always seem to need a full service.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>For fun, see some of the Kievan "Rembrandts" at<br>

http://www.cameraquest.com/fakerusk.htm </p>

<p>and our very own Rick Oleson has a great page on detection of fakes at<br>

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-213.html </p>

[steve_levine]

<p>I often wonder what's the most an Eastern European dealer has taken a tourist for? It's sort of funny that every few months these posts appear? My father told me in the years after WWII every cheap pair of binoculars got marked "Carl Zeiss". The irony being that the real nazi Zeiss binos didn't have CZ's name on them! Only the fakes did.</p>

[jason]

<p>Leica Leitz NEVER engraved the swastika emblem.<br>

Never.<br>

All are cheap fakes.<br>

Even if given to me, i would trash it.</p>

[Rick_van_Nooij]

<p>Kriegsmarine Leica bodies and lenses were marked with a small eagle and swastika and a serial number, but those were not added by Leica themselves.</p>