A beautiful nickel Summar, collapsible type. This example is the all-nickel barrel version, following the earliest fixed-barrel Hyottoko Summar and the black-nose Summar.
The Leitz code is SUMUS. Serial number in the 200,000 range, manufactured in 1934. Distance scale in meters. Straight helicoid. Six-blade aperture. Double Gauss design with 6 elements in 4 groups. Aperture markings are in the continental style f2, 2.2, 3.2 and so on.
Wide open, it shows the characteristic peripheral swirl of a classic large-aperture lens, along with the rich bokeh typical of a Double Gauss formula.
Its fully retro appearance, brimming with old-lens character, pairs beautifully with contemporary Leica DII and DIII bodies. The Summar exists in many cosmetic variations, and lining them all up would be a true pleasure—though the Hyottoko chrome and the Tropen versions may well be the biggest hurdles to completing the set.
A remarkably clean all-nickel example, suitable for both practical use and collection.
The front edge of the barrel shows slight brassing. There are minor signs of use such as light rubbing on the collapsible section, but no noticeable scratches or dents. Considering this is a nickel Summar that is approximately 90 years old, it retains an exceptionally good appearance.
Fully overhauled in December 2025, including focus calibration. Thanks to careful servicing, both the aperture and helicoid operate very smoothly with a pleasing, refined feel.
The glass shows extremely minor balsam deterioration in the middle element, but it has virtually no effect on actual shooting. Otherwise, there are no noticeable scratches or fungus marks, and the optics are beautifully clear and well preserved. The results of the practical shooting test were also excellent. We would be delighted if you could take a look at the sample images in our test gallery.
It comes with original Bakelite front and rear caps, along with a third-party filter.
