To ask if you know anything about the history of the Leica camera?

[VeepVeep]

The Leica M3 came out in 1954. If you owned one in 1959, would you have to have been considered really rich?

Writing a novel OP?

I am @Bouncebacker. And I'm sick of it

I think possibly yes. Peter Sellers used Leicas and he was obviously loaded...

There's a shop in Croydon that is a Leica Centre and the owner is certainly old enough that he'd remember and loves to talk about cameras

It's called high street radio, might be worth a call?

@easyandy101 - thank you so much. I'll call.

There's a surprisingly interesting discussion about it here:

www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-103141.html

Ugh my DH is an absolute camera bore. I'll ask him later but I believe that yes they were then, as they are now, considered a bit fancy

My dad collects them. They were expensive but it was possible to save up for one, much like you would now save up for an engagement ring or a posh vacation.

Judging by a price list I found online it looks like about 10% of average annual income at the time. So as PP has said - expensive but possible to save up for. But more key factor is maybe interest level more than income level? So super rich person might pick up one on a whim without much thought - say equivelant to dropping £6k on a camera because you quite fancied taking a few snaps and want to look like you know what you're doing. Or a bank clerk might save for years and work extra jobs to save up as it's their passion and love to be a brilliant photographer.

So. Husband says Leica was posh but not the Rolls Royce of cameras ie not only for the really rich. Hasselblad 500c (?!) was out at the same time and apparently around twice the price. I'm not sure if this is any use. It's all Greek to me

Genuine review of a play on Broadway decades ago called I Am A Camera:

Me no Leica.

Yes I do as I worked in a camera shop for 3 years when at uni. Leicas were top of the range then (1980s) for 35mm cameras. Hasselblad for larger format cameras.

Leicas are still really desirable with analogue (film) photographers. I'd give my left arm for one.

My dad has about 5. They go for silly money at auction compared with other cameras of a similar vintage.