Leica Chrome Mooly 2 speeds motor with Leica original arm Ex+ / SOLD

Description

Leica Chrome Mooly. 2 speeds motor Nr.1311 sold with Leica original arm Ex+

(This chrome Mooly motor worked nicely on a Leica II model D camera, fyi -factory blocked 2nd speed)

Description / James-Lager

Officially introduced in 1938, the spring-wound Leica-Motor, codeword MOOLY, was supplied for the short base length screw-mount Leicas. The MOOLY was attached to the Leica like a normal base plate: connection to the shutter release was by an external transmission arm.

Fully wound, the MOOLY could advance 12 frames: motor release was by front lever or bottom-mounted cable release. Early motors provided an exposure rate of one or two frames per second by setting the 1-2 switch on the motor front. Later motors eliminated the switch and provided a fixed rate of two frames per seconds.

On the earliest spring-wound Leica-Motors- for example Nr.107, Nr.111 and Nr.113- the engraving denoting the serial number has the”o” doubly underlined. Lager opinion that these motors may represent test units manufactured before Leitz committed themselves to full production.

Carful study of period literature yields fascinating details on MOOLY development. The early announcement of a product can provide information which by the time production begins proves to be premature or inaccurate. This appears to be the case in the May 1938 Leica Photography article. This article makes no mention of an external transmission arm connection the MOOLY to the Leica’s shutter release button.

The illustrations show an unnumbered MOOLY which appears to have and internal linkage to the Leica. It is probable the illustration shows a pre-production MOOLY prepared for evaluation… and that Leitz Wetzlar had not finalized the design of the coupling mechanism. The internal linkage to the Leica did not become standard until the MOOLY-C was prepared for the longer base IIIc- IIId cameras (1940)

from meister camera online listing :

The Leica clockwork motor MOOLY, introduced in 1938, was suitable for use with all Leica cameras with a serial number above 159,000. The motor is mounted on the camera body instead of the base plate and allows with fully wound spring mechanism to photograph up to 12 pictures in series. The shutter release is triggered either via the release lever on the front of the motor drive or by means of a cable release at a special socket at the bottom of the motor.
The coupling with the shutter release trigger of the camera is released by an attachable “coupling arm”. However, at least one model with an internal linkage, which has only been introduced with the following model, the MOOLY-C, in serial production, is also intended.
Other known variants are the early versions with speed selector switch between one or two images per second and the intermediate model with the deactivated speed selector lever.

Offered is one of the rare motor MOOLY versions with speed selector switch for 1 or 2 frames per second. The cosmetical condition is good, and the technical condition of the motor MOOLY is good to very good.
The frame rate switch works perfectly and the MOOLY is in unaltered and fully working condition!

It seems to be one of the last models with switchable speed to act!
The motor MOOLY with the number 704 is already one of the intermediate models with still available but functionless selector switch. In addition, the motor MOOLY’s numbers 868 and 1059 are also known, which also do not permit a speed selection (see James Lager “Leica – An illustrated History” Vol. III on pages 58 and 60).

Total production: there are no precise records

Rarity: R9