Vintage Hektor 13.5 cm f/4.5 screw-mount lens for Leica cameras. 1937

Vintage Hektor 13.5 cm f/4.5 Screw-Mount Lens for Leica Camera. 1937

Superb vintage Hektor 13.5 cm f/4.5 screw-mount lens for Leica camera, serial number 371045, manufactured in 1937. Despite being nearly 70 years old, the lens is in very good condition. It has not yet been tested with film, and some dust particles can be seen inside; for these reasons, it is recommended that it undergo professional cleaning before being used in a camera. The lens is made of black enamelled metal and plastic and shows hardly any signs of wear or use. On one of its components, the serial number 371045 is clearly legible in white numerals. This item comes in its original brown leather case, complete with the clasp and carrying strap. The case is in excellent condition, with complete and sturdy stitching and hardly any scuffs.

Lovers of photography and vintage equipment will find a true gem in this antique Hektor 13.5 cm f/4.5 screw-mount lens for Leica cameras.

History of Ernst Leitz Wetzlar

The origins of the renowned optical equipment firm Ernst Leitz Wetzlar date back to the first half of the 19th century, when Carl Kellner, a self-taught mechanic and mathematician, founded the Carl Kellner Optisches Institut in the German town of Wetzlar. After his early death, his widow continued to run the business. In 1864, mechanical engineer Ernst Leitz joined the company; after only five years, he took control and renamed it Ernst Leitz Wetzlar. Leitz led the company to success by introducing improvements such as mass production, which resulted in a significant increase in sales volume beginning in 1871. Leitz microscopes incorporated technical improvements that enhanced their quality, which meant that by the end of the 19th century, the company had already established a solid reputation worldwide. Ernst Leitz died in 1920, and the company passed into the hands of his son. In addition to manufacturing microscopes and optical equipment, the Leitz company significantly increased its fame through the production of the renowned Leica cameras (short for Leitz Camera).