Description:

U.S. ARMY SIGNAL CORPS PHOTOGRAPHER''S ROLLEIFLEX CAMERA
Original medium format Rolleiflex camera, approx. 6" x 3" x 3 1/4", manufactured in Germany by the firm of Franke & Heidecke. The camera is a twin lens reflex type, meaning that it features two stacked lenses of equal aspects ratios, one for composing the shot through the viewfinder, and the other for taking the photo. This example is fitted with an 80mm f2.8 Schneider-Kreuznach Xenotar lens. The shutter speed and aperture are adjusted by knobs on either side of the lenses, with an indicator for both atop the viewing lens. The focusing knob is located on the left-hand side, with the film advance handle on the right. A detachable, folding viewfinder hood is affixed above a grid-marked viewing screen. The aperture blade function properly, but the shutter is sticky. A black plastic flash grip is mounted to the bottom, likely a later addition. The camera shows minor wear overall from use, and the lenses bear some slight fungus, else very good. This camera was owned and used by U.S. ArmySignal Corps photographer 1st Lt. Joseph Zinni, who was stationed in Europe from 1944 through the end of the war, and shot thousands of photos both in an official and personal capacity. He likely carried this camera as a smaller, more maneuverable counterpart to his officially-issued Speed Graphic large-format camera, which is featured elsewhere in this sale. Present with the camera is a large selection of personal papers and photographs related to Zinni, including; modern prints of 4" x 5" contact sheets, depicting captured German aircraft and American soldiers examining a captured Walther factory; war-period images of Zinni and his fellow photographers in the darkroom; a series of fifteen 8" x 10" photographs of the town of Gibellina in Sicily, following its destruction by an earthquake in 1968; a group of thirty 10" square b/w prints, showing aerial views of various European sights, including the "Eagle''s Nest" at Berchtesgaden and the NSDAP rally grounds at Nuremberg, some with U.S. Air Force backstamps; a large selection of Zinni''s wartime correspondence to his wife; and many additional documents and personal photographs, not fully examined by us. Should be seen.

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September 13, 2017 11:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 + $10,000