One-of-a-Kind Leica Prototype Made by Famed Designers to Hit the Market
A very special Leica prototype lens designed by Jony Ive and Marc Newson will be auctioned in October, and it’s a wild piece of photographic history.
Wetzlar Camera Auctions writes on Instagram, as spotted by Leica Rumors, that the Leica APO-Summicron-M 50mm f/2 ASPH. “Leica M for (RED)” prototype from 2012 will be auctioned in October. The lens model name is as long as this lens is special.
On behalf of (RED), famed industrial designers Jony Ive, best known for his work at Apple, and Marc Newson, arguably the most famous and acclaimed designer of his generation, designed the prototype Leica 50mm f/2 prime lens. Leica manufactured this one-of-one prototype without a serial number, using a special alloy.
Ive and Newson did extensive work for Leica and (RED) at this time, churning out numerous cameras and lenses, including the famous one-of-a-kind Leica M camera that sold for $1.8 million at a charity auction in 2013. The prototype lens coming up for auction this fall was designed and built as part of that broader project. The Leica M camera was sold with the final version of Ive and Newson’s 50mm f/2 prime lens, which ultimately looked different than the prototype.
“Jony Ive and Marc Newson are two exceptionally talented designers, and we were particularly happy to place the Leica M in their capable hands. Their equally exceptional design and the legend of the Leica brand came together in this unique camera and played a significant role in the achievement of this record sum for the battle against disease in Africa. We are truly proud to have made our contribution to this charity success. We hope that this auction can help to prolong the success of the campaign against AIDS and other diseases in Africa and that the public eye is now more intensely aware of the plight of the people in Africa,” said Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Leica Camera AG, about the 2013 charity auction.
While it’s not yet clear what Wetzlar Camera Auctions believes the prototype lens will sell for on October 10, it will surely make a very distinct and stylish addition to someone’s collection. There is certainly nothing quite like this Leica lens anywhere else in the world, and it has a special story behind it. It’s a slam dunk to sell for a large sum.
Image creditsWetlzar Camera Auctions unless otherwise noted
