Miranda T (Miranda, black)
The Miranda T is a Japanese 35mm SLR from the 1950s, an early product of the Miranda Camera Company and one of the first Japanese SLRs to reach Western markets. The black-finish version is a less common variant of an already scarce body, originally positioned as an interchangeable-lens single-lens reflex aimed at advanced amateurs.
With only two UK auction hammer results on record — £2,640 in 2018 and £5,000 in 2022 — the Miranda T in black is a thin, collector-driven market rather than a regularly traded camera. Today the price a black Miranda T sells for at saleroom level depends heavily on cosmetic condition, completeness and finish originality, and the wide spread between those two hammer figures reflects how much variant desirability and provenance can move the value of an example like this.
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.
Prices updated: November 2022
| Date | Price | Source | |
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| Nov 2022 | EUR 5,000 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 41 (Lot AI_41_40984) Title: Miranda Camera Co. Miranda T black paint
Description:
extremely rare and early black paint Miranda, one of only a few black paint cameras known to exist, in very fine unrestored, original condition (slight brassing on the edges, good working order), with matching chrome Zunow 1.9/5cm no.11120, original leather case Estimate: EUR 6,000 - EUR 7,000 |
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| Nov 2018 | £2,640 | Flints Auctions | |
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Auction: Fine Photographica & Instruments of Science & Medicine (Lot 1123) Title: A Miranda T SLR Camera
Description:
1954-56, black, serial no. 555986, with Zunow f/1.9 50mm lens, chrome, serial no. 11381, body, VG, shutter sticking, lens, G-VG, some light cleaning |
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| Jun 2017 | EUR 8,000 | Leitz Auction | |
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Auction: Leitz Auction 31 (Lot AI_31_35074) Title: Miranda Camera Co. Miranda T black paint
Description:
extremely rare and 100% original black paint early Miranda, one of 3 black paint cameras known to exist, in very fine condition (minimal brassing on the edges, good working order), with matching chrome Zunow 1.9/5cm no.10223, original leather case Estimate: EUR 7,000 - EUR 9,000 |
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Frequently asked questions
What is a black Miranda T worth today?
Based on UK auction hammer prices, recorded sales sit between roughly £2,600 and £5,000, with only two data points on file so any single result can shift the picture significantly.
How much does a Miranda T in black sell for at auction?
The two recorded UK hammer results are £2,640 (2018) and £5,000 (2022), giving a midpoint near £3,800 but a genuinely wide range driven by condition and originality.
Why is the black Miranda T more valuable than the chrome version?
Black-finish examples of the early Miranda T were produced in much smaller numbers than the standard chrome body, and collector demand for original-finish black SLRs of this era pushes their value well above the chrome equivalent.