Leica M3 black paint First Batch 'Ken Narula' *

An original and highly sought-after Leica M3 black paint from the very first batch of only 100 cameras produced in 1959, marking the beginning of regular black paint M3 production. Characteristic features of this early batch include the long strap lugs and the fully black-painted base plate — details specific to the first production run and later altered in subsequent series. Due to the very small number manufactured and the typically heavy professional use these cameras received, well-preserved examples from this group are today exceptionally rare and highly regarded among collectors.

The camera is preserved in beautiful, original condition, displaying an attractive and even patina with fine paint bubbles across the black lacquered surfaces. It is offered together with a matching 1959 black paint / brass mount Summilux 1.4/50mm no.1644849 with brass mount. This lens is an extremely rare “reverse scallop” version, of which only a few examples have been observed to date. The model is illustrated in Ken Narula’s book Iris and Lens, underscoring its significance within early Summilux production. Together, camera and lens form an outstanding and historically important black paint outfit. Included in the lot are two books by Ken Narula, both signed and annotated with the serial numbers of the camera and lens, providing direct documentary reference to the present outfit.