A vintage Leitz Elmar 3.5cm f/3.5 lens with a nickel finish.
The Leitz Elmar 3.5cm f/3.5 in Nickel finish is one of the earliest wide-angle primes for the Leica Thread Mount system, produced by Ernst Leitz GmbH in the late 1920s–early 1930s. '3.5cm' is the pre-decimal notation for 35mm. The nickel-plated barrel predates chrome-finished Leitz lenses (introduced circa 1933). 'Unnumbered' indicates no standard serial number — consistent with very early production or prototype status.
35mm focal length, f/3.5 maximum aperture, Elmar 4-element design, Leica Thread Mount (L39/M39), nickel-plated barrel, unnumbered (no standard serial).
The nickel Elmar 3.5cm is among the earliest Leica wide-angle lenses — a collector piece of historical significance. Nickel-finish Leitz lenses command premium collector interest as the earliest production generation. On modern digital M bodies via LTM adapter, the 35mm focal length is the most practical wide-angle for rangefinder shooting. As an unnumbered lens, specialist evaluation is important for accurate dating and valuation.
Inspect all elements carefully — pre-war uncoated glass is highly susceptible to haze, fungus, and cleaning marks. Check aperture blades for oil (early mechanisms are prone to oil migration). Test L39 thread engagement with a known-good adapter. Verify rangefinder coupling if present. Consider specialist Leitz evaluation for provenance confirmation of an unnumbered example.