[Leica] You want to make your chrome.......... black...........

["BIRKEY, DUANE" <dbirkey@hcjb.org.ec>]

I remember seeing an old guy and his son at the various Chicago area 
camera shows who did a pretty nice job of turning chrome cameras into 
black ones or plated with gold,  I think he may also re-plate cameras 
with chrome .   I have a hard accepting LTM models  with black finish 
because they just don't look right to me.  I would not buy one, in 
fact, I'm not sure I would buy a camera that had it's top or bottom 
plate replaced as it is now restored and no longer in it's original 
condition.   Must come from spending too much time drooling over 
cameras in collectors guides that I can't afford and insisting that 
everything be original.  But then again, I will never spend the money 
it takes to buy a mint IIIG as I would rather spend it on a new M-6 .85 
or to go on a trip.

I would however like to buy a near mint LTM  for a reasonable amount 
(which would probably limit it something along the lines of a III, 
IIIa,IIIc or IIIf bd ) if someone would like to make me a super deal.  
(off line)
 
Anyhow,  judging from his accent and appearance I would guess he is a 
Jewish Russian immigrant.  But I never dealt with him or really talked 
with him much other than to ask to see some later m lenses.  I have 
only been to one show in Chicago in the last 5 years and then I was 
really too busy looking for specific non-Leica  items so I don't 
remember positively if he was still there or not. 

Duane Birkey
HCJB World Radio
Quito Ecuador South America

A couple miles south of the equator, sandwiched between Colombia y 
Peru.