Leica M Cameras ‘Ian Berry’

(1) Leica M3 black paint no. 1059942 (1962, 100% original, with rapid winding crank), (2) very special and late M3 (MP) black paint no. 1158503, with Leicavit MP, black rapid winding crank. The Leica M3 cameras of the late series lack the lens lock release guard. This version only appears within the very last batch of M cameras from 1967 (serial nos.1158501-1158510). It represents a very interesting factory conversion into a Leica MP. In order to add the long coupling shaft for the Leicavit MP, the automatically resetting frame counter of the M3 had to be sacrificed. The original M3 top plate was kept, in which the former frame counter-window has been closed. Such conversions are extremely rare. (3) Leica M2 black paint no. 1075026 (1963) with Leicavit MP, black rapid winding crank. All cameras with ‘IAN BERRY’ stickers on rear top plate. With the book The English, ed. 1978, signed “For the buyer of my Leicas which I’ve used for a lifetime” and with a large-size (30x40cm) vintage print Fulham Jubilee celebrations, London, published on page 71 of the book The English (stamped “Magnum Photo Libary Print New York”,signed). Ian Berry (born 1934 in England) moved to South Africa in 1952, where he soon taught himself photography. After working for the new African Sunday newspaper eGoli and the Benoni City Times, he soon became more interested in freelance work. In the early 1960s he worked for the Daily Mail. Later Tom Hopkinson, previously editor of the British Picture Post, hired Berry to work for Drum magazine. He was invited by Henri Cartier-Bresson to join Magnum Photos in 1962 when he was based in Paris; five years later he became a full member. In 1964 he moved to London and began working for Observer Magazine. He has since travelled the globe, documenting social and political strife in China, Republic of Congo, Czechoslovakia, Ethiopia, Israel, Ireland, Vietnam, and the former Soviet Union. He has contributed to publications including Esquire, Fortune, Geo, Life, National Geographic, Paris-Match, and Stern. Ian Berry (geb. 1934 in England) zog 1952 nach Südafrika, wo er sich alsbald das Fotografieren beibrachte. Nachdem er für die neue afrikanische Sonntagszeitung eGoli und die Benoni City Times gearbeitet hatte, interessierte er sich bald eher für freiberufliche Arbeit. Anfang der 1960er Jahre arbeitete er für die Daily Mail. Später stellte Tom Hopkinson, der ehemalige Redakteur der British Picture Post, Berry ein, um für das Magazin Drum zu fotografieren. 1962 lud Henri Cartier-Bresson ihn ein, Magnum beizutreten, als er in Paris lebte; fünf Jahre später wurde er ein Vollmitglied. 1964 zog er nach London und begann, für das Oberserver Magazine zu arbeiten. Seitdem hat er die Welt bereist und soziale und politische Konflikte in China, der Republik Kongo, der Tschechoslowakei, in Äthiopien, Israel, Irland, Vietnam und der ehemaligen Sowjetunion dokumentiert. Seine Werke sind in Publikationen wie Esquire, Fortune, Geo, Life, National Geographic, Paris-Match und Stern abgedruckt worden.