Leica M3 olive Bundeseigentum outfit *

Early version olive paint Leica M3 “Bundeswehr” with long strap lugs and double stroke advance, in good, original condition and in perfect working order, with beautiful patina and small bubbles appearing in paint. Engraved 'Bundeseigentum 12-121-5418' on top plate, with matching Elmar 3.5/5cm no.1334812 engraved 'Bundeseigentum 12-121-5419', ITOOY hood engraved “Bundeseigentum 12-121-5529”, Hektor 4.5/13.5cm no.1509711 with olive vulcanite and engraved 'Bundeseigentum 12-120-1625', Leica-Meter MC no.75704 engraved with 'Bundeseigentum 12-121-5608 with olive-green keeper for the meter and booster and matching olive green outfit case. When the West German Army (Bundeswehr) was established after 1955, the Leica M cameras formed a large share of the photographic 35mm cameras ordered for the troops. Rare versions are the Leica M3, M1 and later also M4 models in the olive paint finish. Of the Leica M3, less than 300 units were prepared in this finish in total. The offered camera comes from an early small batch of only 20 cameras (serial numbers 920501-920521) delivered to the German army in 1958. It is for sure one of the nicest sets we have seen.