A rewind crank affectionately known as the Magnum Crank, a name derived from the fact that many press photographers in the 1960s and 70s mounted it on their Leica M cameras. In various books on black paint Leicas, it can be seen attached to the cameras of renowned photographers such as Elliott Erwitt, Ian Berry, and David Douglas Duncan. Several variations are known to exist, and while many aspects of its production background remain unclear, it possesses a unique presence and character that only an accessory from that era can offer.
Like the original Strapateer strap, it is an accessory that greatly enhances the atmosphere of a black paint Leica. One cannot help but wonder how many examples still survive today. Accessories of this kind were rarely preserved with the same intention as cameras or lenses, and over the long decades many have been lost, reminding us how difficult it is to find surviving originals. A true rarity.
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