Naylor's Leica-Zorki

In yesterday's Chicago Photographic society meeting we were discussing that a couple of the supposedly "authentic" Leica items in Naylor's newest catalog of his collection are actually Russian copies... I know Steve (Bull Halsey) visits this forums frequently, he would enjoy this: Here's exact same copy of the gold Leica that is in Naylor's catalog:

http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-German-Military-Leitz-Leica-Camera-Russian-Copy_W0QQitemZ260161074715QQcmdZViewItemQQssPageNameZRSS:B:SRCH:US:101

Notice the Zorki shutter button with cable release socket.

Vlad.

Vlad
This is an authentic FED from the last batch. The cup with the firing knob is larger than on Zorki models.
LP

Luiz, as always you are correct! After close examination this looks like a FED 1g! Nice catch!

Now my question is to Steve, is it the same camera in Naylor's new book? If it is then it's not a Zorki! And the Samovar has a flat top with no rangefinder, so the one you got is not a Samovar. Look in Princelle page 100.

Vlad.

As far as I know, there is no FED or Leica Samovar, it is just a joke by Princelle isn't it?

Regards, Bill

No, I actually think he calls the "flattop" modified FEDs - Samovars... Don't know whether he made it up or it's actually a name for these flattops...

Vlad

I thought he was saying that the "flat-top" camera in the photo, a fake Leica Luxus, is actually made from a FED 1b (which when covered with snakeskin is called a "Samovar").

For example, here is what I have seen called a "Samovar" either Leica or FED depending on the engraving:

http://cgi.ebay.it/FOTOCAMERA-A-TELEMETRO-TIPO-LEICA_W0QQitemZ260143609742QQcmdZViewItem?from=kelkoo

So, flat-top = Luxus and non-flat-top = Samovar

Regards, Bill

You may be very well right, the bottom of page 100 is confusing as heck... I'll go with your experience, Bill! :)

Vlad.

Vlad,
I don't know if I'm right. It's just that I must have read that entry and the one on the next page in Princelle's about 100 times since it came out a few years ago. I think it's confusing too! So, that was just my interpretation. Probably doesn't even matter since they are all fakes and in so many variations anyway!

Maybe some fake-maker in Russia could actually make a camera with the engraving "FED-Samovar" only in Cyrillic. But I hate the snakeskin covered cameras (unless it is fake snake-skin) as I have been a vegetarian for over 30 years (because I love all the animals ... not especially for health purposes);-))

Regards, Bill

Well usually the fake Russian Leicas have fake snakeskin.. At least all the ones I've seen do... Steve brought his in to the meeting yesterday, it was leatherette not leather, you could tell because after some years it starts to get this "paper" rough feel.

Vlad

Well that's good to know. Maybe I have to get me one of them dandys!

Regards, Bill

Hi Vlad,
I just checked my first copy of Princelles and on page 67 he shows the same camera and calls it a Luxus or Samovar.
Quie creative with the names, eh?

Also, Bill Powell (CPCS) did a bit of work on one of the bodies and mentioned that the covering was indeed some sort of reptile skin, not paper.

As wacky as some of these Leica copies can be, still there is quite a bit of work that goes into them, and for sale for next to nothing.

Steve

Steve,

I was saying leatherette, not paper, it just starts feeling rough like paper after aging, when leather usually becomes smoother with age...

Vlad.

Hi,

Don't know anything about these but I have a couple. One that belonged to Grand Admiral Raeder...or it might have been Goebbels. And this one hat definitely was specially commissioned by Herr Hitler and presented to Reichmarshal Goring.

http://usera.imagecave.com/Annie135/Leica1small.jpg

I reckon they are great fun, don't know what the camera is but it works rather nicely.

Brian.

Hi
I thinks, 170 Euro for a destroyed FED is this really too much.The chrome-layer is down-scratched, and brass corrodes nastily. A real Leica, or a real Leicafake, nothing between it

HAHAHA! Well put Robert! :) LOL.. But I gotta tell you these are collectibles in a sense of fakes as well.. I am very tempted to expand my collection to these Russian Leicas.. :) On eBay the average price is about $120, I would not buy it for 170 Euros that's too much...

I need cameras to the uses and if screwed on a Leica III (without letter) a mountain-Elmar also once is, not so bad

rob,

That is a beautiful Leica and lens! Very fine. Bravo!

Regards, Bill

Vlad,

Instead of 2 or 3 fake Leicas made from Zorki, you could buy this beautiful and historic FED-1b. It has no accessory shoe, the beautiful notched rangefinder, and is an authentic and early FED, made by the Communard youths of Makarenko, at the F.E. Dzerjinski Commune, by hand, themselves.

http://www.cameramate.com/product_info.php?cPath=33_50&products_id=19

I already have some of these or I would buy it myself!

Regards, Bill

wow! That is a very nice FED! I appreciate the link, maybe in couple of weeks if it's still there... :) when i save up a little :)

I was just contemplating regarding these fake Leicas in which direction to expand my collection some time in the future.. I still haven't gotten everything I wanted in regular cameras, including these early models of FED and Zorkis...

Thanks!

Vlad