Leica M2 black paint button rewind set 'Ken Narula' *

Two special cameras separated for decades are now brought back together by a passionate Leica collector and photographer. Leica M2 black paint no.948857 and 948858 come from a sought-after early batch of cameras equipped with button rewind and without self-release. Both, besides having the same original features, also show a very similar, attractive patina of use, with minimal brassing around the edges and tiny bubbles appearing in the paint. Each camera is complimented with a matching, rare black paint lens - a brass-mount Summicron 2/5cm no.1587561 and a brass-mount 8-element Summicron 2/35mm no.1654919. According to the control book in the Leica Archives, both M2s were delivered on 24.08.1959. This is the first time we have seen two cameras of such rarity with consecutive serial numbers and a matching patina. This is an extraordinary opportunity for Leica collectors!

Born in 1976, Ken Narula is a photographer and collector of Leica cameras and lenses based in London and Bangkok. A graduate in business and finance, Narula realized his passion for photography after the profound experience of life-changing eye surgery. Parallel to owning multiple companies, he has spent decades establishing one of today's largest assortments of Leica objects and has travelled worldwide photographing with his museum-worthy collection.

Included in this amazing outfit is the first print of Ken Narula's 'Iris & Lens'. The book thematically reflects Narula’s distinctive role as both photographer and collector. The first volume 'Iris' offers a series of photographs he made between 2017 and 2022. The 50 black-and-white images were all taken with Narula’s array of Leica cameras and lenses, which he presents in the second volume 'Lens.' From his broad collection, which spans 100 years of Leica’s technical history, Narula presents a minimalistic, up-close look at 50 lenses which he uses primarily for his own work, and highlights the lenses’ unique characteristics. This unique example of the 'Iris & Lens' is signed not only by Narula himself but also by Mr. Steidl and Dr. Kaufmann.