A Perfect Present

If anyone feels like buying me a present the above auction items would do nicely: Elliott Erwitt's very first press card, issued to him when he joined Magnum Photos and signed by himself and the agency's founder, Robert Capa, and one of Erwitt's personal cameras, a Leica MP no. 2922644, with his signature engraved on the back. About the press card Erwitt says, "It was a matter of pride to have a 'press card' signed by arguably the most important dashing photojournalist from the most prestigious photo agency of the day. Looking at the card now I have difficulty imagining that anyone would take the person pictured (me) seriously looking about 12 years old."

The items (Lot 77) are part of the "100 Years of Leica" auction taking place this Friday at WestLicht Photographica Auction in Vienna.The starting bid for this lot is €15,000. For more information, visit here.