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Ernemann Klapp Tropen

The Ernemann Klapp Tropen is the tropicalised variant of Ernemann's Klapp strut-folding plate camera, made in Dresden, Germany in the early twentieth century. Tropen-specification bodies were built with teak wood and brass fittings, intended for photographers working in hot and humid climates where standard leather-covered bodies were prone to failure.

At UK auction, hammer results for the Klapp Tropen have sat roughly between £290 and £650, with a 2023 sale at £338 giving a reasonable mid-point for the small sample. These figures are wholesale saleroom results excluding commission, so what a Klapp Tropen is worth today turns heavily on the condition of the teak, brass, bellows and shutter — a clean, working example sells for noticeably more than a tired one, and retail asking prices from specialist dealers typically run above these auction levels.

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Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Date Price Source
Oct 2024 £300 Special Auction Services
Mar 2023 £338 Flints Auctions
Nov 2016 EUR 650 Leitz Auction
Sep 2003 £493 Christie's
Jan 2001 £293 Christie's

Frequently asked questions

What is an Ernemann Klapp Tropen worth?

Recent UK auction hammer prices have fallen in a £290–£650 range, with a 2023 result at £338; final value depends strongly on the condition of the wood, brass, bellows and shutter.

How much does an Ernemann Klapp Tropen sell for at auction?

On the sales we have recorded, it sells for a few hundred pounds at hammer, with the best-preserved examples pushing toward the upper end of the range.

Why is the Tropen version priced differently from a standard Klapp?

The teak-and-brass tropical construction is scarcer and more decorative than the black leather-covered version, and collectors typically pay a premium for it when condition is good.

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