VIENNA (EFE).- A camera that the Leica brand designed and gave to the Pope Francis in 2024 It was auctioned this Saturday in Vienna for 6.5 million euros. The amount will be allocated to charitable works at the express wish of the pontiff, who died last April.
The device, model MA, is an exclusive piece with a body covered in white, in allusion to the papal clothing, and several engravings, including Francis’ motto, “Compassing and Choosing” (“He looked at him with mercy and chose him”) and the coat of arms of the Vatican.
According to the auction house Leitz Photographica Auction, organizer of the sale, the pope ordered that the amount obtained be channeled to charitable causes.
The starting price, set at 30,000 euros, was quickly exceeded. It reached 150,000 euros during the open online bidding a few days ago, more than double the initial valuation of the device.
Pope Francis’ chamber, auctioned
The director of the auction house, Alexander Sedlak, told EFE that this bid was “the most exciting in the history of Leica.”
“This shows that Leica cameras are not only photographic tools, but also historical artifacts,” Sedlak added.
The German manufacturer maintains a tradition of reserving round serial numbers for distinguished figures. He presented the 5,000,000th specimen to the Argentine pontiff, accompanied by the legendary Leica Noctilux-M 50 mm f/1.2 lens.
The piece is complemented by a presentation box designed especially for this equipment.
The bidding lasted almost ten minutes. It was resolved after intense competition between two unidentified telephone buyers, reaching 6.5 million euros. The figure was received with prolonged applause in the room.