A rare opportunity to own a piece of Leica history!

eBay can often be a great source for finding older retro cameras and second-hand equipment, and sometimes it can offer you a rare opportunity to collect a part of photography history.

Leica Store Lisse is a retailer in the Netherlands that specializes in Leica cameras and lenses, and they often have specialty pieces for sale in their physical and eBay stores. Its most recent rare offering is a collection of custom prototype cameras developed for iconic Leica photographer Ralph Gibson.

Included in the collection are seven of Leica's best cameras and would be a dream purchase for any fan of the brand or Ralph Gibson – you'll just need $250,000 to do so!

Ralph Gibson has been a long-time Leica user and last year was given the prestigious honor of being inducted into the Leica Hall of Fame. He is one of the greatest still-life photographers of a generation and has produced quite possibly the most amount of photography books by any one photographer.

His relationship with Leica Store Lisse saw them collaborate on numerous occasions over the years, including working on the project 'Mono' which was published and exhibited all over the world.

The collection is quite a substantial haul and includes a Leica M6 Titanium, Leica MP, Leica M7, Leica M9 Monochrom camera “prototype” with signed Leica Summilux-M 1:1.4/50mm ASPH, Leica M9 Monochrom (Silver), Leica M9 M Monochrom set “Ralph Gibson”, Leica M246 Monochrom body, and a Leica “Mono” portfolio of prints.

This is no doubt a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase such a rare and extensive collection of specialty Leica cameras. In addition to the value of the camera bodies themselves, there is more than meets the eye, with many of them signed, engraved, or personalized by Ralph Gibson himself.

The collection is listed for $250,000 but as is the nature of eBay, is open to offers. Even if you don't want to part with that kind of money, I recommend checking out the eBay listing as more information can be found about the story behind each camera.

You may also be interested in our guides to the best Leica cameras , the best Leica lenses , and the best Leica alternatives .