Hello there. I read about the Mont D Ansar (spelling) Leicas. They say there are arround 400 of them, all made in France, and correct me if I´m wrong, but most of them III C (or A?). Anyways. I heard someone saying that there are some If leicas going arround with the Mont D ansar inscription. Did any of you see one of these? (they said they werent fake leicas, because the inscription was in the same place as in the other III mont d ansar leicas). Would like to know more about these cameras. Thanks. (sorry for the spelling)

Agustin Barrutia

-- Agustin A. Barrutia (abarrutia@velocom.com.ar), March 22, 2002

Answers

Hello Augustin, your are referring to a LEICA-production run from 1949-1950 with a range of numbers between 359 001 to 359 500. These were special LEICA IIIa inscribed on the topplate as >Monté en Sarre< (made in Sarre) because LEITZ assembled them from Wetzlar parts in the Sarre (Saarland). They were sold on the french market only. W. MANDLER the later chairman of LEITZ-Cananda was in charge or at least engaged in the production of these cameras. So he had this experience before he headed to Midland to help to build up LEITZ Canada.

Best wishes

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), March 23, 2002.

Should have mentioned the reason, why the assembly was done en Sarre. Importtax for cameras in France after WW II was too high to create a sufficient market for LEITZ. So the small assemblyplant was set up. But obviously it only lasted for a short production run and I do not know if they made any money there ...

Best wishes

-- K. G. Wolf (k.g.wolf@web.de), March 24, 2002.