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Zeiss Ikon CONTAREX SUPER All Black "NO-NAME" Top Switch Body Only. SCARCE USA For Sale


Zeiss Ikon CONTAREX SUPER All Black
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Zeiss Ikon CONTAREX SUPER All Black "NO-NAME" Top Switch Body Only. SCARCE USA:
$338.00

ZEISS IKON CONTAREX SUPER ALL BLACK "NO-NAME" BODY.
Bestellnummer (Product Number) 10.2600.1100.
Produced: Dec.1971- March 1972. Only Three Months of production.
Block-Style Lettering "ZEISS" square West GermanyVertrieblogo on left front corner.
Serial Number: R 52429**One of only 600 (in Chrome or All-Black) ever made.
Serial Numbers for ALL Super (Vertrieb versions) Range from R 52001 Thru R 52600.
Zeiss Ikon-Voigtlander 10.2600 with the two-lens Zeiss Logo are very common. 9,000 made.
Dedicated Interchangeable film back with dark slide and all-black bottom plate and trim.
The Shutter works great at all speeds. The Meter still reacts, but I can't guarantee its accuracy.
The body is heavily used. It has several areas of brassing where the black finish has worn off to reveal a brass metal beneath. The prism housing has some dents and dings and there are considerable strap lug scratches on the sides. This camera served a professional photographer from Detroit throughout the 70s and 80s. There's no doubt that he used it a lot. The battle scars are evident. He also told me that it never let him down or needed any service. I asked if he had covered up the CONTAREX name on the front of the prism and he told me it was issued to him just like it is here. I assume it was in better condition 45 years ago. Today: It's pretty beat-up, but not beaten, and it's still pretty. The leather covering is tight and complete to every corner. The aperture scale around the lens mount is crisp and clear in white lettering.All the external lettering and control scales are in good shape.The viewfinder has some dust specks inside and the (interchangeable) focusing screen is a double centering-dot frostedsplit-screenversion. The self-timer works too. This camera can use all of the famous Carl Zeiss objectives and accessories compatible with the Contarex System Camera Series. Focusing Screens, Finders, Flash Units (no Motor-Drive yet) and Camera Backs were options. The Interchangeable film back has two memo dials on the back that look like Data-Back functions, but they're not. The memo dial discs show some scratches and dings on the info plate.The dark slide is included. Both film cassettes are inside. Most importantly, it's all black on the bottom and on the edge trim. That means it's not simply a standard (chrome) back, lifted from another body. It's All-Black just like the body. Ever seen one? The shutter must be cocked and the dark slide has to be inserted before the back can be removed.
I've never encountered anyone who has ever seen, or heard of, a Contarex Super2nd versionVertrieb(or any other Contarex model) in All Black OR in Chrome with"No-Name".
ThisVertriebcamera is possibly more scarce than the elusive AllBlack Bullseye models that currently trade for thousands of dollars. While it's noted that only600 of the Vertrieb Top-Switch Supers were ever made, there is no breakdown as to how manywere producedin Chrome and how many were made in Black.It's a rare camera, to begin with, but a "No-Name"Vertriebvariation seems to have immersable possibilities.
Vendors always claim that they're selling "Rare or Scarce" cameras. Well...
Let's just say: The this particular Contarex Super Vertrieb No-Name is Super Uncommon!!!This camera has been heavily researched, and I've yet to find anything to debunk its unique provenance.Mysterious details like these fuel a passion deep down inside for Zeiss Ikon collectors worldwide.
**Ref: "Carl Zeiss Kamera-Register 1902-2012" by Bernd Otto Pg. #219. "Contaflex Contarex" by Hans-Jurgen Kuc' (1988 in German) Pg.#119 "Zeiss Compendium" by Charles M. Berranger & Marc James Small 1995 Pg #80.
This second version of the Superisknown as the Top-Switch.The first version had a meter activation Front-Switch onthe camera.It was located on the right-hand side, on the top shoulder of the lens mount trapezoid.Often forgotten, it was a battery draining problem, easily left on, after use.Moving the switch to the top required cancelingthe meter to shut down the camera.In order to turn off the meter, a button on top had to be pressed in to rest the advance lever.Zeiss Ikon produced 9000 of these with the conventional logo, but only 600 with theVertrieb logo.The switch move was a noticeableimprovement but VERY short lived.
It faced internal Zeiss competition.It was offered and contemporarywith:The Special (10.2500) meterless mechanical onlySLR body.The Super (S) (10.2600) with a meter and the modern Zeiss Ikon logo, 9000 units.The Professional (P) (10.2700) an upgraded no meter model.The Super Electronic (SE) (10.2800) with a meterwas also available.The Super, West GermanVersion or Standard, was simply not nearly as capable.This is not to mention a strong Japanese sweep of theSLRmarket with superior products.
Why were these 600 examples made with the square "ZEISS" logo? No one knows...We can speculate that they addressed Special Orders and/or Requests submitted to Zeiss Ikon.I can find no functional, practical or mechanical differences between the two versions.I did notice that the rewind button crank surface and the bezel surrounding the windingadvance leverknob havebeenblackened to match cosmetically. Everything else is identical.
The first Contarex: Bullseye (10.2400) had Selenium technology metering and weighed a TON.It was outdated almost before it was introduced, in 1959-60. Delays in Germany didn't help.
It needed to be redesigned and went through 4 upgrades and remained available for years.
The Contarex Super is the first Rex to offer CdS metering, and that required a battery.This was also the firstRexmodelto carry the redS-Matic script, in front of a hot shoe, on top.An improved metering observation window was also on top, to match readings inside the finder.The battery cell placement and access location have been questioned ever since their introduction.Complicated and clumsy, the battery was situated under the mirror in the prism housing!A subtractive manual-reset frame counter is in the advance lever with a film memo dial beneath.Shutter speeds B, T, 1-1000th are color coded for flashsync and slower speeds.The basic mechanical functions and build-quality are inherently Contarex, all the way.It weighs 2 1/2 lbs without a lens!
Here comes to Best Part:The Super in All Black and it has been seen in publications, and live, over the years.
However: This specific camera has "No Name" on the face of the prism housing. ANDIt has the square block-lettering West Germany "ZEISS"Vertrieblogo below the advance lever.If the Contarex Name was ever printed onto this prism housing it has been permanently masked.There are no indications that thiswasn't done, deliberately, by western Zeiss Ikon engineers.It looks as factory as one might imagine. While electrical tape would accomplish as much,I've beentold that special circumstances would allow these unmarked models to be special ordered from Zeiss Ikon, West. Investigative Agencies, Medical Lab Technicians, Law Enforcement andNewspaper Photographers were often very secretiveand reluctant to reveal their identitiesand this also pertained to their equipmentchoices. The 1970swere super-competitive, pre-internet times and intriguing stories of espionage and spying were common. Paranoia gained ground quickly. "Scoops" by Newspapers,Discoveries by Scientists and Criminal Activitydocumented by Authorities were much harder to keep secure, in those insecure times.
If for any reason, you are unhappy after purchasing this unusual Contarex I will gladly take a return on it.Please contact this collector if you've ever seen, or known of, any other example of this 2nd version"No Name" in either color (or any other Contarex/Flex model) without any moniker on the prism housing.
This Contarex Super has no lens, never-ready case or booklets. The shutter still works perfectly.It will be securely packaged with a correct Zeiss Ikon bayonet mounting body cap when shipped.Be sure to see my other sale. Thanks for reading this far.
*The lens pictured in two of the photos here IS NOT INCLUDED in this sale. Body Only.The lens pictured is not available at this time.
Just so you know...Domestic Postage is on me...
A little fine print:
100% Money Back Guaranteethrough 's Buyer Protection Program.Buyers must contact me within 14 days for any returns.Buyer pays any return postage. I offer100% Full Refundsonly.No "Partial" Refunds or "Final Price Adjustments"will be considered after payment has been made and/or an item has been received. If a serious issue is discovered, that does not meet your expectations, send the item back to me and I may, or may not, relist it. Final Price Figures will not be adjusted for Customs, Taxes, Duties, Tariffs, International ByLaws or Insurance Declarations. I ship only to an address supplied to me, and registered with, and/or PayPal.No "Drop" shipping to any third party address and No PO # Boxes.International Shipping only through: 'sGlobal Shipping Program.All items* in this sale are shown in the pictures posted here. These items are pre-owned, and no guarantee can be made concerning mechanical and electronic performance. If your planning to use this item I suggest a professional service or overhaul. Areas of concern and obvious blemishes and non-original parts, broken parts & features and inop functions will be noted in the product description and prompt payment thru PayPal is requested. Foreign Buyers: Be aware of International Taxes, Fees, Duties, Restrictions and Regulations in your region or country. Buyers pay return postage. Thanks for looking.

On May-23-18 at 10:20:55 PDT, seller added the following information:

More precise answers to this mysterious CONTAREX can be found""ZEISS and PHOTOGRAPHY" by Larry Gubas 2015 Chapter #37 Pg.796Zeiss Ikon was plaguedwith Trademark and Logo disputed ever since theend of WW-II.Near their demise, in late 60's and early 70's production suddenly stopped and newTrademark Battles wereset into motion. Mr. Gubas explains how and whythese Vertrieb logos appeared and when. FascinatingStuff...


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