View Full Version : What my mother found in her basement
MelanieC
10-06-2006, 21:45
I'm home in NoVA helping my mother throw things away before she moves out of my childhood home.
This is what Mom found locked in one of my father's old file cabinets. (The M3 pictured is, of course, my dad's camera that I have been using for the past year.)
I also have the manuals in English, but found those months ago. My mother very nearly gave the cabinet away without checking the locked bottom drawer, but was lucky enough to find the key before the person arrived to take the cabinet away.
MelanieC
10-06-2006, 21:47
The last few photos -- the body cap was screwed into the base of the bubble. There is no rear cap for the lens. Would it have come with one?
Cool..
Mint boxes for your M3 and cron :)
Lucky you :)
Dave
Melanie,
Congrats on the cool find. Glad to see that you have the complete set of your father's camera and the chance to enjoy it.
Best,
Ray
cool find, and a nice legacy of your father. I have a couple of old cameras from my late father. Don't use them much, but nice to have around.
Film dino
10-06-2006, 22:14
Very nice indeed! Congratulations!
RObert Budding
10-06-2006, 22:41
I'm grateful that my father is still doing well at age 80. And I'm lucky to have a few nice items that belonged to my Grandfather - his slide rule and a jacket that I still wear once in a while. But no Leica, unfortunateley!
The last few photos -- the body cap was screwed into the base of the bubble. There is no rear cap for the lens. Would it have come with one?
Great find!
I think the base of the bubble is the rear cap for the lens.
That is a great piece of your personal history Mel, very nice.
I have my Minolta SRTs from the 1970s that my father bought and started me on this camera kick when I was a kid. I am pretty proud of them, as I am sure you are of your little collection there.
Flyfisher Tom
10-07-2006, 03:11
She doesn't have any other cabinets she's throwing away, does she ;)
Congrats on the find, and the connection to your dad.
Good luck with your mom's move :)
My brother inherited my grandmother's M3 and lenses which accompanied her on her many travels around the world. In the mid-80's, he traded it in on an R4 and lenses when he traveled to Africa. Grrrrrrr.
Post deleted by posters request
Rich Silfver
10-07-2006, 09:52
Magus, I had the same reaction when I saw them. I'm always impressed/surprised how boxes like that can survive 40+ years - and in that condition.
Melanie,
The bubble would have been the lens rear cap, hence no separate cap.
MelanieC
10-07-2006, 10:30
Hi guys,
Yup, the lens screws into the back of the bubble (the body cap is there right now since the lens is on the camera) but I was hoping there was a separate lens cap since I know they exist. I guess I shouldn't complain.
Now the challenge is to get this stuff to San Francisco without squishing the box. I figure if my dad could haul this stuff around through various moves since 1965 without destroying the boxes it should be possible.
NIKON KIU
10-07-2006, 11:34
Hi Melanie,
so you are in our neck of woods...may be we should get together for a shootout.
Kiu
MelanieC
10-07-2006, 15:23
Hey Kiu,
I would love to, but am probably going to be running around all weekend helping my mother move and throw away stuff. I'll be in NoVA until Tues AM.
Post deleted by posters request
terrafirmanada
10-08-2006, 02:21
Congratulations, that is a heartwarming tale. I don't think I've seen the case on your M3 before; it looks good. I got the same one in brown for mine. They do add to the feel. Safe travel for your retun with the boxes..
Some Leitz lenses came in show case keepers, later Leitz went to Styrafoam (trade name?) fitted (moulded) packing, inside the 'red boxes'. This change over was before '70 for some lens. I'd have to check my collection of boxes to be sure. I dont think any of mine had showcases.
A rear cap was supplied as standard for 28 and 21 that needed specials, I have never seen a show case keeper for these but they may exist.
If you are going to get several lenses then you need the standard leitz (style) rear caps or the 3rd party back to back caps. The 3rd party back to back is a 3/4 inch plastic tube with a camera mount at each end. It keeps a gadget bag tidier if you have a mix of lens. You still need special caps for deeper lenses.
Some of the CV back cap bits fit ok even for specials and are more robust and a lot cheaper than leitz collectibles (original).
Some of the front caps are even more difficult, e.g. if you have a reversible hood for the 'cron, then it should have a cap for when reversed, don't lose the cap, apart from the sentimental value some are impossible to replace.
Hey enjoy, take pictures, file the boxes and things for the next generation.
Noel
What a beautiful gift! You can pay tribute to your father by investing in a cleaning and general check by a reliable, Leica-experienced service rep and shoot with it. Don't trust it to a service rep who doesn't know Leica.
-g
alan davus
10-09-2006, 02:04
Great find Mel. What did your dad do, what sort of person was he? Just an ordinary life made a little more interesting by the use of a Leica? The fact he carefully locked away the boxes suggests there might be a story here.
Hi Melanie,
you did nice find. It appears that your father was a man with sense of details. The original boxes breathe the past times atmosphere, and direct mind to the past.
I also have saved the boxes of fountain pens, watches, and now of my new Leica camera. Maybe they will make joy to somebody in future. Who knows?
Congratulations.
ZP
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