Tazio Secchiaroli's Leica MP Heads to Auction with $200,000 Estimate

A rare Leica MP camera owned by Tazio Secchiaroli, one of Italy's first paparazzi, will be auctioned at the Leitz Photographica Auction in Wetzlar, Germany, on June 13. The chrome camera, numbered '368' and paired with a Summicron 2/5cm lens, is described as Secchiaroli's personal camera and shows signs of professional use. It includes his book 'The Original Paparazzo,' which references the camera's serial number, linking it directly to the photographer. The Leica MP series was short-lived, and this example features a Leicavit rapid advance base unit enabling two shots per second. Secchiaroli founded Roma Press Photo in 1955 and pioneered a candid style of celebrity photography on Rome's Via Veneto. He inspired the 'Paparazzo' character in Federico Fellini's 1960 film 'La Dolce Vita,' which coined the term 'paparazzi.' The auction estimate is $200,000.