[Leica] FS Friday We'd Like to See

["Peter A. Klein" <pklein@2alpha.net>]

!!RARE!!  L@@K  !!No cholesterol!!

* The Ooh-La-La Leica

A one-of-a-kind M3 once owned by the renowned French photographer Henri
Boulanger-Croissant.  It was used for an unpublished project in
collaboration with philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.  The project was to
have been a photo/text essay on Man in Existential Dilemma, to be
titled, "The Indecisive Moment."  Boulanger-Croissant took many
photographs of Sartre and his circle sitting by the Seine contemplating
the dark waters, and in dingy cafes where they lived on cheap red wine,
coffee and cigarettes.  

The project came to an abrupt halt when Simone de Beauvoir complained
that there were no photographs of women's existential dilemmas in the
essay, and she wasn't about to play second sex to anyone, non, merci. 
Boulanger-Croissant took de Beauvoir's side in the debate.  In the
resulting mélange-menage, the Leica ended up in the Seine along with a
wine bottle, a chair, a three-day-old baguette, and a hard-cover copy of
"Being and Nothingness."  Significant water and mud damage, otherwise
Mint-/Exc+++.  Shutter refuses fire unless it is taking a meaningful
photographs that contribute sudden flashes of insight to the bleakness
and absurdity of existence.

* The Schwanstüke-Leica

This M4 with rigid Summicron was used on the set of Mel Brooks' "Young
Frankenstein."  Filter ring dinged when the photographer collided with a
heavy brass door knocker, subsequently repaired. One large hoof imprint
on camera back.  Lens is 50mm, but becomes 180mm in the presence of
violin music.

Enjoy!
- --Peter