A RARE camera that belonged to American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart is to go under the hammer in Glasgow.
The pilot’s prized possession will be just one of a collection of vintage and modern cameras to go on sale this month.
Around 120 lots belonging to photography enthusiast Ian Macdonald, from East Ayrshire, are to be auctioned off by McTear’s Auctioneers on March 24.
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The jewel in the crown is a Leica 1, which was gifted to Amelia Earhart by her husband George P Putnam.
The black paint camera, which was made in 1929, is thought to have been given to Ian’s grandfather Wullie Macdonald when he worked for a cleaning firm that collected laundry from hotels and homes in New York.
One of his jobs was to collect clothing from Earhart’s house in Rye and during a visit in 1933 he commented on the aviator’s camera. Earhart, who was the first women to fly solo across the Atlantic, told Wullie she preferred to use another model and gave it to him along with a signed card.
It is expected to reach between £10,000 and £15,000 and includes a leather carry case, lens cap, range finder, two reloadable film cassettes and holder.
Ian Macdonald said: “The story behind this camera is fascinating and of all the ones I own it definitely evokes the most emotion as it’s been in my family for so long. My grandfather began the collection, then my father continued it until it was eventually passed down to me.
“Over the years I’ve added to it but I feel now is the right time to sell and allow others to get enjoyment from these great cameras.”
Also included in the sale is a rare 1962 Black Paint Leica M3, valued at up to £12,000; a U.S Army Leica KS15-4 SET expected to reach to £6000 and two pre-production prototypes from Wetzlar.
Victoria Irvine, Head of Silver, Ceramics, Clocks & Works of Art at McTear’s said: “The strength of this wonderful collection is the sheer volume of Leica cameras, including unusual models that will be on sale.
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“But what makes this auction really stand out is the condition of the lots, with many of the cameras in outstanding working condition for their age. We believe this sale will attract a lot of interest from photography enthusiasts and collectors from across the world.”
The collection will be on sale at McTear’s on Friday March 24 at 10.30am.
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