M3 Oddity

[Kim Coxon]

I was having a look at Peter Walnes stock and came across an black M3 he is selling. http://www.peterwalnes.com/component...mart/Itemid,1/
There is a closeup of the camera here http://www.peterwalnes.com/component...mart/Itemid,1/

The history is documented and at some stage the top was replaced during an overhaul by Leitz Canada. Everything says it is an M3 not an M2 but it clearly says M2 on the top. Even the receipt shows M2 overwritten by M3!

Bearing in mind the film counter, I wouldn't have thought the 2 tops were interchangeable. Can anyone shed any light on this anomaly?

Kim

[wlewisiii]

That's an interesting thing.

I just saw this oddity last night http://www.dagcamera.com/leica_m.htm - the first item on the page is a M2 with no serial number as he says it was built completely from spares...

William

[markinlondon]

M3 windows and an M3 frame counter. You're right, Kim, everything yells M£ at you except the engraving. I can't see it being fat fingers. Have you fed the serial number to the Leica checker? I'm at work and don't have the bookmark right now.

Mark

[markinlondon]

M£ = M3 with fat fingers (or maybe a freudian slip?)

Mark

[Kim Coxon]

I thought the reason might be that a spare top would be supplied without engraving so that the serial number of the camera being repaired could be put on and the engraver made a mistake with the model number. Looking at DAG's spares would tend to support this. Thanks for the link William.

Kim

[ravid905]

The Leica serial number checker states that the serial number is for a black paint M3.