Leica I Mod. A Anastigmat no.249

A rare and very early Leica I Mod. A with a fixed 50 mm f/3.5 Anastigmat lens. The Leica I Mod. A was introduced at the 1925 Leipzig Spring Fair and was one of the first commercially successful 35 mm cameras. Designed by Oskar Barnack and produced by Ernst Leitz GmbH, Wetzlar, this model helped establish Leica’s reputation for precision miniature cameras.

This example, delivered on 16 May 1925 to Ernst Leitz Berlin, retains key early features such as the ratcheting film wind mechanism, pebble-shaped shutter release button, and other characteristic details of the first production batch. Only a few components—such as the viewfinder and base plate—appear to have been factory-upgraded, most likely during a service at Leitz in 1931. The vulcanite covering shows signs of an old repair, but overall the camera remains in excellent condition for its age.

Early Leica I Mod. A cameras with Anastigmat lenses are among the most sought-after Barnack models, representing both a technological milestone and an enduring collector’s prize.