185-Year-Old Voigtländer Daguerreotype Camera Auctioned for $580,000
The seventh Wetzlar Camera Auctions (WCA) saw over 250 total lots of historic cameras and accessories, primarily Leica cameras, sold to enthusiastic and well-heeled collectors this past weekend. Numerous Leica cameras sold for huge sums, but the star of the show, at least from a historic perspective, was a Voigtländer metal Daguerreotype camera from 1840. It sold for €500,000, or nearly $580,000, after a heated bidding war.
Before getting to the very old Voigtländer camera, it is worth considering some of the exciting Leica models that sold over the weekend, including some that sold for even higher prices than the 185-year-old camera. One of the first lots auctioned, lot #2, featured a Leica Model A camera with an Anastigmat lens from 1925. This lot sold for €87,500, which is over $101,000, more than twice the initial asking price. This hundred-year-old Leica camera was sold from a private German collection and is in beautiful condition.
“We estimate that fewer than 25 examples of the Anastigmat Leica still exist today in their original delivery condition,” says WCA co-owner Lars Netopil.
A Leica Model 250 “Reporter” from 1934 sold for €40,000 after starting at just €14,000. The Leica “Reporter” camera is special because it was equipped with cassettes with 10 meters of film, allowing photojournalists to capture a whopping 250 frames before changing the film. The auctioned model was from a production run of cameras built for pilots, with only 20 ever made, according to WCA.
Some military versions of Leica cameras sold for big prices, too. A black chrome-plated Leica M4 made for the German Armed Forces in 1974 sold for €75,000, or nearly $87,000 at current exchange rates.
Some rare and highly coveted Leica black paint cameras fetched huge prices. Among the highest was a very rare black lacquered Leica MP that sold for €425,000, which is nearly half a million dollars. Fewer than 140 of these cameras were made in 1956.
An extremely rare early Leica M3 in black lacquer was purchased for €625,000 ($723,000). Wetzlar Camera Auctions says that only eight versions of this camera were made in 1955, and the one sold at auction was used internally at the Leitz factory upon its completion.
“Compared to the silver chrome-plated series versions of the time, the black lacquered Leica M models were only produced in small numbers. In addition, due to their frequent use, they were often not treated with care and today often show not only clear signs of wear, but have also been fitted with later components during repairs at the Leitz factory. This explains why cameras of these rare versions in their original condition sometimes fetch exceptionally high prices,” explains Nepotil.
Some rare Leica lenses earned exceptional hammer prices, too. A black lacquered Leitz Summilux 35mm lens from 1960 started at €28,000 before finally selling for €162,500. A rare prototype 28mm wide-angle lens from 1954 sold for €118,750 after starting at just €15,000. WCA says that only two examples of this prototype lens are known to exist in the world today.
As for the extremely old Voigtländer Daguerreotype camera from 1840, it is quite the piece of photographic history, hence why it sold for nearly $580,000. Voigtländer made the camera just a year after Louis Daguerre famously developed his photographic technique in Paris.
The auctioned camera was the first metal camera ever made and also featured the world’s first scientifically calculated photographic lens. This lens, created by the legendary Josef Petzval, has an f/3.7 maximum aperture. Today, there are only about 15 examples of the Voigtländer metal camera remaining, most of which are featured in museum collections.
The seventh Wetzlar Camera Auction offered collectors an exceptionally rare opportunity to acquire one of these historic cameras. As expected, it set off a bidding war, with people connected to the auction room by phone from all over the world.
“It was exciting for us to have such an important camera from the early history of photography on offer. We are delighted that this piece achieved a sale price of €500,000, double the estimated price,” says WCA co-owner Jo Geier.
The complete Wetzlar Camera Auction catalog is available online. The next Wetzlar Camera Auction will take place on October 26, 2026.
Image credits: Wetzlar Camera Auction
