Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special
The Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special is a 35mm SLR from the Contarex family, produced by Zeiss Ikon in West Germany during the early 1960s. It was a higher-specification interchangeable-finder variant within the Contarex line, positioned as a professional tool when new.
With only a single documented UK auction record in our database — a Christie's hammer of £460 in 1998 — there is no current price range to quote with confidence today. At saleroom level the Contarex Special is a thinly traded collector item, and what a Contarex Special is worth in 2026 depends heavily on completeness (finder, focusing screen, original lens) and cosmetic condition.
Sales History
Prices shown are realised prices — auction results and completed eBay sales, never asking prices. Most saleroom figures are hammer prices, before commission; some houses publish a premium-inclusive figure, and we do not adjust for condition. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher. How this figure is calculated.
Prices updated: June 2025
| Date | Price | Value GBP | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2025 | £338 | £270 | 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions | |
|
Auction: Cameras & Scientific Instruments (Lot 73) Title: A Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special SLR Camera Body
Description:
1960-66, chrome, serial no. U24659, body, VG, shutter mechanism working, some wrinkling to second curtain, complete with prism and waist level finder |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Oct 2015 | £340 | £340 | 🇬🇧 Special Auction Services (archive) | |
|
Auction: Camera & Photographica Equipment Auction Thursday 29th October 2015 at 11:00 (Lot 85) Title: A Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special SLR Camera
Description:
A Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special SLR Camera, waist level finder, chrome, serial no. U-24865, with Carl Zeiss Tessar f/2.8 50mm lens, chrome, serial no. 2996069, body, VG-E, shutter working, lens, G, some light fungus, ex-Christie's lot 291 20 July 1998 Estimate: £200 - £300 |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Oct 2015 | £420 | £420 | 🇬🇧 Special Auction Services (archive) | |
|
Auction: Camera & Photographica Equipment Auction Thursday 29th October 2015 at 11:00 (Lot 84) Title: A Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special SLR Camera
Description:
A Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special SLR Camera, plain prism, chrome, serial no. U-24651, with Carl Zeiss Planar f/2 50mm lens, chrome, serial no. 3178516, body, VG-E, shutter working, lens, VG, some light internal haze, ex-Christie's lot 273 20 July 1998 Estimate: £200 - £300 |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Mar 2001 | £528 | £449 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
|
Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 146) Title: Contarex Special no. U25631
Description:
Contarex Special no. U25631 Estimate: £400 - £600 |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 2000 | £1,057 | £900 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
|
Auction: CAMERAS AND PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT (Lot 165) Title: Contarex Special no. U26376
Description:
Contarex Special no. U26376 Estimate: £500 - £700 |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
| Jul 1998 | £460 | £400 | 🇬🇧 Christie's | |
|
Auction: CAMERAS AND OPTICAL TOYS (Lot 291) Title: Contarex Special no. U24651
Description:
Contarex Special no. U24651 Estimate: £400 - £600 |
||||
|
Loading...
|
||||
Frequently asked questions
What is a Zeiss Ikon Contarex Special worth today?
Our database holds one UK auction hammer result, £460 at Christie's in 1998, which is insufficient to publish a reliable current market value; condition and completeness drive price more than headline figures on this model.
How much does a Contarex Special sell for at auction?
The single recorded UK auction sale is £460 hammer, but with so few data points any quoted figure today should be treated as indicative rather than a market benchmark.
What should I check before buying one?
Verify shutter speeds, finder condition, lens mount integrity and overall cosmetics, and factor in the cost and limited availability of specialist Contarex servicing.