Germany 1974 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Rollei 35, a 35 mm miniature viewfinder camera manufactured by Rollei in 1966, holds the distinction of being one of the smallest 35 mm cameras ever crafted. Heinz Waaske, the chief engineer at the German camera manufacturer Wirgin, conceived the design for the Rollei 35 … Read more18 Rollei
Rollei 35 S Jubilee
Germany 1934 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. Succeeding the Leica I and produced concurrently with the Leica II, the Leica III stands out as arguably the most iconic and emulated camera design in history. The protective cover for the viewfinder and rangefinder has served as inspiration for countless imitations, a trend that endures … Read more17 Leica
Leica III (mod. F)
The most copied
Japan 1961 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Canon 7 rangefinder was introduced in 1961and is the last model compatible with the Leica M39 lens mount. Even though Canon had already issued single lens reflex (SLR) cameras at the time, the brand wanted to produce a fast-shooting rangefinder camera for reportage in direct … Read more16 Canon
Canon 7
Fastest lens of its time
France 1904 – Plate Camera – Plates – Rare. The Gaumont Block-Notes is a folding klapp camera distinguished by its elegant simplicity in design. With an exterior entirely coated in lacquered black paint, this camera boasted ease of use and was often classified as a “woman’s camera” during its era. The Tessar-Zeiss lens is situated … Read more15 Gaumont
Block-Notes
United States 1939 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. The Kodak 35 Kodex No.1 made its debut just prior to World War 2 as Kodak’s first 35mm still camera produced in the USA (the 1934 Kodak Retina 117, the first camera to use the 35mm cartridge, was actually built in Germany) It embodied simplicity … Read more13 Kodak
35 Kodex No.1
Japan 1950 – Compact – 35 mm – Rare. In 1948, during the period of occupied Japan, Nippon Kogaku introduced its inaugural camera, the Nikon. Originally christened “Nikorette,” derived from Nippon Kogaku, with “ette” added to emphasize its diminutive size, the name eventually transformed into “Nikon,” becoming the iconic brand we recognize today. Two years … Read more7 Nikon
Nikon S
Very early Nikon
USSR 1952 – Spy Camera – 21 mm – Rare. The KMZ Ajax-12 stands as a subminiature espionage camera meticulously crafted for the Soviet Union’s intelligence agency, the KGB. The Ajax integrates a clockwork mechanism powered by a spring, enabling operatives to capture a sequence of images without requiring manual film rewinding. Frequently employed for … Read more4 KMZ
AJAX-12 “KGB”
Soviet spy camera
United States 1929 – Folding – 127 film – Rare. The Kodak Petite represents a beautifully colored iteration of Kodak’s iconic Vest Pocket (model B) camera. Its compact size and user-friendly design transformed this camera into a stylish accessory, while the array of available colors (blue, green, lavender & pink) rendered it a fashionable and … Read more3 Kodak
Petite
The autograph camera
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