Leitz Photographica Auction 2026

Historically significant cameras and vintage camera accessories take center stage at the 48th edition of the Leitz Photographica Auction, set to take place on 13th June at the World of Leica in Wetzlar. The highlights include two Leica MP cameras from the 1950s, purpose-built for photojournalism, as well as a late 19th-century Lumière Cinématographe—one of the groundbreaking devices used to record and project the world’s earliest motion pictures. Bidders can participate live on-site, via telephone, or online. Separate from the event, Leitz Photographica Auction will host an additional online-only auction titled “Leitz ON” from 13th May to 14th June. Leitz ON offers a broad spectrum of cameras, camera accessories, and photographs spanning from the 1920s to the present day.

One of this year’s highlights is the Leica MP-33 in black lacquer. With a total production run of just 402 units—only 141 of which are black lacquered—the “M Professional” (MP) ranks among the rarest Leica cameras ever produced. Developed specifically for photojournalism, its design was inspired by renowned American press photographers such as Alfred Eisenstaedt and David Douglas Duncan, who wanted to combine their M-series cameras with the functional advantages of the Leicavit rapid-winding mechanism, which had previously been available exclusively for the Leica IIIf. The example offered here, with serial number MP-33, was delivered on July 29, 1957, to the Leica representative Brandt in Sweden and is offered together with a matching Leicavit in black lacquer and a Summicron 2/5cm lens (No. 1474885) in black lacquer with a brass mount.

The chrome-plated MP models—of which only 261 were produced—are also hugely popular among collectors. A particularly remarkable example with an outstanding provenance is now being presented at the 48th Leitz Photographica Auction. The Leica MP No. 368, delivered on January 1, 1958, is documented as the personal working tool of Tazio Secchiaroli. The photographer became famous for his dynamic, candid shots of famous personalities along the Via Veneto in Rome in the late 1950s. Secchiaroli not only shaped contemporary photojournalism, he also served as the inspiration for a—now legendary—character in Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1960). The name of this character is “Paparazzo,” and it eventually went down in history as the term for a new movement within reportage photography.

The 48th Leitz Photographica Auction will take place on June 13 starting at 11 a.m. Central European Time at the Leica Welt in Wetzlar (Hesse). Bids may be submitted in advance online (www.leitz-auction.com), in writing, or by telephone. Live bidding during the auction is available at www.leitz-auction.com and www.liveauctioneers.com.

The German Leica Camera AG has two branches in Vienna: Leica Camera Austria and Leica Camera Classics. The latter specializes in vintage cameras and has approximately 1,500 devices on display in its store at Westbahnstraße 40. The location also houses the largest spare parts warehouse for historic Leica cameras in the world. Because of this unique inventory, on-site technicians can inspect historic Leica cameras to the highest collector standards and restore them as needed before they are auctioned.

Twice a year – in mid-June and late November – Leica Camera Classics organizes the Leitz Photographica Auction, the world's most important auction of vintage cameras, attracting bidders from over 100 countries. In addition, around 5,000 products are permanently offered in the LCC online store.