Sonne C4 Silver camera (Italy) Ex++ sold with 50/2 Xenon Schneider-Kreuznach Col. lens Ex++ Nr.3506411
Circa 1953 Like Sonne C with two windows only.
Extra large (14x20) viewfinder window,protruding above the much higher top.
33mm base rangefinder with pointed cam.
E/M synchronization selection by a tiny wheel located on the front of the body(near the usual Leica slow speed dial place)
shining chrome knobs, frame counter,dial and release.
weight without lens 480 g.
Nice vintage working camera, Nice 50mm f2 Xenon lens has light haze, Clean top plate, clean base plate showing wear by tpd mount, leather lifting in corners
Who made the Sonne?
During WW2, officine Galileo had a plant 5 via San Giorgio, Pordenone (60km northeast of Venice)
As peace came back,one of the employees, Antonio Gatto, undertook to manufacture in this factory but under his name a Leica copy designed by the Signor Pignat ( Gatto's Company is often called "Pordenone")
The name chosen for the camera, Sonne means Sun in German (a rising sun is engraved on the top) The choice of a German brand (even for the lens.since Adlenar comes from Adler,eagle in German) and the large "German Patent" marking on some bodies show clearly a will to give a high class image to the camera.
More: the first Sonne was intentionally named "IV" (at a time when the Leica top model was the IIIc...)
Unfortunately, no advertising was done to sell the Sonnes- which soon disappeared ( they were however sold in France up to 1958 !)
300 Leica copies / Pont Princelle
