A forgotten Leica prototype from the mid-1950s – believed to be the only working example in existence – is expected to sell for up to €500,000 at the 49th Leitz Photographica Auction in Wetzlar on 28 November.

The Leica Box is a compact half-frame camera that never went into production. According to Digital Camera World, only two were made. One is a non-working study held at the Leica Museum in Wetzlar, while the example going under the hammer, serial number 000.01, is thought to be the only one that works.

A half-frame Leica that never was

The Box measures just 100 x 64 x 48mm and shoots 18 x 24mm half-frame images on 35mm film through a fixed 35mm Summaron lens. Seen from today, when half-frame is enjoying a real revival thanks to cameras like the Pentax 17, it’s fascinating to see Leica exploring the same idea 70 years ago. It’s a reminder that many of the ideas we think of as new in film photography were tried, and sometimes shelved, decades earlier.

The pre-sale estimate is €400,000–€500,000.

Other highlights

The auction features more than 400 lots and also marks 60 years of the Noctilux. Other highlights reported include Sebastião Salgado’s Leica R6, used in Kuwait in 1991; the very first Summicron-M 66 f/2, serial number 001 (estimate €16,000–€20,000); and a Leica M10-P Safari charity prototype (estimate €8,000–€10,000).

“As always, we expect particularly strong interest in historically significant rarities and special editions,” said Alexander Sedlak, managing director of Leitz Photographica Auction.

Leica Box prototype key details

Auction date and bidding

The 49th Leitz Photographica Auction takes place on 28 November 2026 at 12:00 CET at Leitz-Park, Wetzlar, Germany. Pre-bidding is open now via the Leitz Photographica Auction website, where the full Auction 49 catalogue can be viewed.