161 - Zeiss Ikon | Ikonta 35 / Contina / Contessa Prototype

Zeiss Ikon | Ikonta 35 / Contina / Contessa Prototype Estimate: €3,000–3,400 Year: c.1952 Condition: B+ English: Experimental German 35mm folding camera related to the development of the Zeiss Ikon Ikonta 35 / Contina / Contessa series. With Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1:2.8 f=50 mm, no. 3613814, with a shutter up to 1/300 sec., an unusual silver-finished metal body with a folding lens panel, an integrated viewfinder/rangefinder assembly, an accessory shoe, a film speed selector marked DIN / ASA, and provisions for an integrated exposure meter system. The construction shows numerous similarities to the compact camera designs developed by Zeiss Ikon in Stuttgart during the late 1940s, particularly the Ikonta 35 and subsequent Contina and Contessa series, while differing substantially from all known production models. The camera features a folding front housing a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50 mm lens, whereas the later production Ikonta 35, Contina, and Contessa cameras generally used 45 mm lenses. Provenance: Deutsches Fotomuseum, Markkleeberg German: Experimental German 35mm folding camera developed in the context of the Zeiss-Ikon models Ikonta 35, Contina, and Contessa. Features a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 1:2.8 f=50 mm No. 3613814 with a shutter speed of up to 1/300 second, an unusual silver plated metal body with a folding lens plate, integrated viewfinder/rangefinder assembly, accessory shoe, DIN/ASA film speed setting, and provision for a built-in light meter. The design shows numerous similarities to the compact cameras developed by Zeiss Ikon in Stuttgart in the late 1940s, particularly the Ikonta 35 and the later Contina and Contessa series, but differs significantly from all known production models. It features a Carl Zeiss Jena Tessar 2.8/50mm lens, whereas the later production models—the Ikonta 35, Contina, and Contessa—were typically equipped with lenses having a focal length of 45mm. Provenance: German Museum of Photography, Markkleeberg.