Rare Lenses

01/09/2023    


Flints are well known worldwide for selling the best rare lenses. We have recently had many successful sales including a Dallmeyer Speed 3″ f1.5 selling for £31,200, a Ross Xpres 3″ f1.9 selling for £30,000, and a Hugo Meyer Kino Plasmat 2″ f1.5 selling for £20,400.

Rare lenses are one of our core areas of expertise, and we always have plenty to offer in our Fine Photographica auctions. So here, we are going to show you some of the lenses that featured in our sale on the 26th April, the results they produce, and the reason why they are worth so much money.

One of the biggest appeals above all is the Bokeh that these lenses produce. Bokeh is the out of focus area of a photograph, and specific lenses render this in a much more artistic way than others.

 

If you have any of the rare lenses mentioned below, contact us today by clicking here.

You can also use our search feature to look up past results.

 

J.H. Dallmeyer

The most famous maker you will see crop up is British maker J.H. Dallmeyer, founded by John Henry Dallmeyer (6 September 1830 – 30 December 1883). He started the business in 1860, mainly manufacturing lenses, but also began producing cameras.

 

The Dallmeyer Super Six

The Dallmeyer Super Six is a common sight in our auctions and was produced for various applications and in different focal lengths. The Super Six has the fastest aperture of f1.9 typically, except for the Dallmeyer Super Six 8” which has a slightly slower stop of f2.0. The Super Six consisted of six elements in four groups and was produced with extremely rare and expensive earth glasses.

Super Six lenses vary in price dependent upon the focal length, whether the lens has an iris, image circle coverage and of course condition. For instance, a Super Six 2” f1.9 projection lens (no iris) is worth 1/3rd the value of a Super Six 2” f1.9 in a Leica mount. The most desirable focal length, however, fall between 76mm and 102mm as this hits that ‘portrait’ focal length and with the extra length makes the bokeh even better.

 

The Dallmeyer Speed

The Dallmeyer Speed is the rarest Dallmeyer lens out there. Therefore, they seldom appear on the open market, and the Dallmeyer 3” f1.5 Speed we have coming up in our sale on the 26th April is the first one in over 8 years that’s has appeared! The Speed was produced in only a few focal lengths and made in tiny numbers. What makes the Speed we have to offer even more unique, is the fact it is in its original Leica L39 mount.

 

The Dallmeyer Septac

The Dallmeyer Septac was only made in a 2″ focal length with a fast aperture of f1.5. This lens was an option available on the Ilford Witness camera and also used on microfilm copying devices.

 

Ross

The Ross Xpres

The Ross Xpres lenses are predominantly cine lenses designed for 35mm movie cameras. Focal lengths consisted of 1″, 1½”, 2″ and 3″, and all have a fast aperture of f1.9. These lenses date from around 1938, and at the time a Ross Xpres 3″ f1.9 lens would set you back £15/0/0. Flints will be offering the 1½” and 3″ variations of this lens in the 26th April Fine Photographica auction.

 

The Ross Xtralux

The Ross Xtralux has variations of 50mm, 90mm and 135mm. However, the 50mm is the rarest and most valuable with prices sometimes reaching five figures. It was announced in 1948 and only sold for a short period as it was not a commercial success. They are commonly found in a collapsible Leica screw mount and resemble the Leitz Summar.

 

Other Maker’s

Alongside Dallmeyer and Ross, there is a great deal of other fantastic lenses out there. These maker’s include

P. Angenieux – Cinor, S21, S1, S3, S6, R1, M1,

Cooke – Panchro, Deepfield Panchro, Speed Panchro, Super Speed Panchro

Hugo Meyer – Kino Plasmat, Makro Plasmat

Kinoptik – Apochromat, Foyer

Som Berthiot – Flor, Monital, Olor, Cinor

Taylor Hobson – Anastigmat

Wray – Unilite

 

Sample Photographs

 

Dallmeyer Speed 3″ f1.5

 

 

Ross Xpres 3″ f1.9

 

 

Dallmeyer Super Six 83mm f1.9

 

Dallmeyer Super Six 2″ f1.9

 

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