Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/03/24

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Uh.... earth to lawyers....
From: David Prakel <dgp@btconnect.com>
Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 21:38:30 +0000

on 24/3/2002 3:08 pm, Duane Birkey at
owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us wrote:

> I'm not a lawyer..... but reading in between the quotes I find the phrase
> "The Leica Glass Laboratory" twice....

I've dipped into this thread rather late and don't know if anyone had
already quoted the Appendix 'The Leitz Glass Research Laboratory" from
Jonathan Eastland's book Leica M Compendium but (quoted in full)...

'There has been much confusion as to whether Leitz made their own optical
glass for their production lenses. In a letter from Leica GmbH to the author
dated 27 April 1993, a company executive stated that neither Leica nor Leitz
ever smelt its own glass from raw materials for production purposes. the
letter acknowledges the existence of the 'scientific laboratory' for the
exploration of new optical glasses, and details the fact that 'some of the
very special optical glasses were smelt there'.

'This information was supplied after persistent request by the author over a
period of two years for the company to clarify certain aspects of claims
made in advertising literature produced by the company. In particular, of
the document entitled Leica lenses for Optical Excellence, List Nr. 110-190
published and printed IV/85 (April 1985). On page 14 this states "Optical
glass of the highest quality...is the principle raw material, and some ten
tonnes per year are produced in our own factory, from formulations
originated by the Leitz Glass Research Laboratory."'

'Similar statements are made in other documents published by the company and
in virtually all literature produced by the company which deals with lens
products, the intimation is the same; that glass blanks are derived from raw
glass blocks and sheets produced on the premises. Logistically, the
production requirements, even for Leica's relatively small output (compared
to Japanese manufacturers) would require extensive smelting facilities which
Leica GmbH do not have and Leitz before never had.'

'The work of the Leitz Glass Research Laboratory has, however, been very
significant. Over 40,000 smelts (a figure consistent with a total of ten
tonnes a year mentioned above) have been recorded in this laboratory before
it was disposed of, and from this vast array of research, Leitz scientists
have been able to establish the exact optical glass compositions required
for the company's purposes. But as they had done from the beginning, Leitz
procured their glass for production, in black and blank for, from outside
suppliers who were able to smelt to Leitz's highly specialised
requirements.'

My own take on this at the time was that Leitz and lately Leica had been
caught out in a 'terminological inexactitude' in allowing the public to
think it smelted its own glass. It would be difficult to publicly admit that
the Glass Research Laboratory was now liquidated (whether it had done all it
work or not). I suspect the company was caught in a little white lie to
cover the necessities of commercial life in the late 20th century.

David Prakel

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