Antique Russian Copy of Leica II Camera. In Good and Working Condition

This curious camera is a Russian imitation of a model by Leica, made after the end of World War II. Used technology by Leitz (the manufacturer of famous Leica cameras) to adapt their own designs and make curious imitations such as the one we can see in these photographs. This model is a copy of a Leica Iia and has serial number 124409. It has the original reddish brown leather case, in good condition, and is made of polished brass. This camera works fine and can do photographs, but it doesn't have the same quality of the original machine.Russian Leicas are cameras that imitate the famous designs by German company Ernst Leitz. Most of them were converted from knob wind Zorkis, a design inspired in the Leica II that was apparently produced near Moscow in hundreds of thousands. Though these fake Leicas are undoubtedly interesting, their quality is evidently not the same as original Leicas one and present many differences. One of them refers to the material they are made of: this particular camera is made of polished brass, while the prestigious German models were made of silvery metal.The fake Leicas were produced in many versions to be comercialized in the American market. Soviet factories even developed new models (never manufactured by Leica) and produced cameras with Nazi and Luftwaffe related engravings. This particular model is a version of the Gold Luxus, given this name owing to its polished brass finish. The camera imitates many Leica details, such as the engraved inscriptions: the embossed logo at the lenss cover, the signature at the top of the piece and even the inscription with the manufacturers name, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar.This Russian camera is a curious piece, perfect to become part of a complete collection of historic cameras from the 20th century.