1951 KODAK Retina lla
This camera was purchased new by my father in West Africa after he lost his his Agifold in a motor accident.
Although branded a Kodak, these were made in West Germany by Nagel Camera Werks AG which Kodak had acquired in December 1931.
“The Kodak Retina IIa is a favorite of the long lived Retina series, the epitome of a classic small fast lensed 35mm folder. It is so good due to It’s small size, superb 50/2 Xenon lens, better than average finder, quiet leaf shutter, and the simple straightforward design which translates to pleasurable shooting. The IIa was produced only from 1951 to 1954, yet over 100,000 were produced. In a nutshell, many Retina fanatics feel the earlier Retinas had less of the desirable features, while the later Retinas sacrificed too much size and weight for additional features”.
In the illustration is the original close-up attachment for the camera. There was also a Gossen Sixti exposure meter which clipped into the accessory shoe. This was stolen (along with other photographic items) but I have recently bought another from eBay!