Start price: € 40,000

Estimate: € 80,000–100,000

RMB Start price: RMB 300,000

RMB Estimate: RMB 600,000–750,000

Year: c.1960
Condition: B/A

Leitz Wetzlar original prototype of a 16mm still camera, engraved 'Cassetta'. Parallel to the great success of the Leica format, Leitz experimented with various small format cameras since the early 1950s. Examples are the Leica 'Box', the Leica '16', the Leica 'H' and the Leica '110'. The Cassetta was of a different design, as a co-operation with German company PLAUBEL in Frankfurt, customizing their 'Makinette' as a Leitz camera. Lens design by ENNA Munich. However, the project never went into production. Only very few of these Cassetta cameras exist, of which the one here almost shows the final design. The lens unit is complete and can be focused, while shutter and light meter units are incomplete or inoperable. Some of the control knobs and levers seem to be of a later vintage than the original project. The camera is very beautiful, carrying a similar grey-blue leather like the famous 'Willi Stein' Leica M3 Nr. 700066. It has been authenticated by Paul-Henry van Hasbroeck and Lars Netopil.

徕兹韦茨拉16毫米静态相机原型，刻有“Cassetta”字样。自20世纪50年代初以来，徕兹在徕卡135mm格式大获成功的同时，尝试了多种小型格式相机，例如徕卡“Box”、徕卡“16”、徕卡“H”和徕卡“110”。Cassetta的设计有所不同，这是与法兰克福的德国公司PLAUBEL合作，将其“Makinette”定制为徕兹相机。镜头设计由慕尼黑的ENNA完成。然而，该项目从未进入生产阶段。这种Cassetta相机的数量极少，其中这台几乎展示了最终设计。镜头单元是完整的，可以对焦，而快门和光度计单元不完整或无法操作。一些控制旋钮和杠杆似乎比原始项目的年代更晚。相机状态极佳，采用与著名的“Willi Stein”徕卡M3编号700066相似的灰蓝色皮革。已由Paul-Henry van Hasbroeck和Lars Netopil认证。