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Voigtlander& Sohn Bessa II

The Voigtländer Bessa II is a folding medium-format rangefinder camera that exposes 6×9 cm negatives on 120 roll film. It was introduced in 1950 as the top folder in the postwar Voigtländer range, offered with a choice of lens fittings that drove very different price points when new.

At recent UK auction, hammer results for standard Bessa II examples have clustered between roughly £350 and £900, with a median around £480 across the sales tracked here. The model is strongly lens- and condition-sensitive at saleroom level: the November 2025 result of £6,500 reflects the large premium buyers will pay today for the scarce Apo-Lanthar lens variant, while a more typical Color-Skopar or Color-Heliar example is worth a small fraction of that figure and sells for well under four figures in clean order.

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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
Nov 2025 £6,500 Flints Auctions
Nov 2022 £525 Flints Auctions
Jun 2022 £525 Flints Auctions
Nov 2021 EUR 550 Leitz Auction
Jun 2021 EUR 800 Leitz Auction
Nov 2020 £806 Flints Auctions
Oct 2019 £360 Flints Auctions
Nov 2018 £480 Flints Auctions
Oct 2017 £6,960 Flints Auctions
Nov 2015 EUR 6,500 Leitz Auction
Mar 2014 EUR 3,000 Leitz Auction
Nov 2013 EUR 600 Leitz Auction
Nov 2011 EUR 900 Leitz Auction
Dec 2009 EUR 550 Leitz Auction
Nov 2008 EUR 420 Leitz Auction
Jun 2008 EUR 650 Leitz Auction
Jun 2008 EUR 380 Leitz Auction
Nov 2007 EUR 320 Leitz Auction
Nov 2007 EUR 420 Leitz Auction
May 2005 EUR 220 Leitz Auction
Feb 2005 £192 Christie's
Nov 2004 EUR 573 Leitz Auction
Nov 2004 EUR 354 Leitz Auction
Sep 2004 £310 Christie's
Nov 2003 £293 Christie's
Mar 2003 £352 Christie's
Nov 2002 EUR 625 Leitz Auction
May 2002 £211 Christie's
Nov 2001 £352 Christie's
May 2001 £199 Christie's
May 2001 £293 Christie's
Mar 2001 £258 Christie's
Oct 2000 £305 Christie's
Jul 2000 £411 Christie's
May 1999 £437 Christie's
Jan 1998 £345 Christie's
Jan 1998 £322 Christie's

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