Recatflex Liechtenstein w. Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2/58mm

The Rectaflex 35mm SLR is the brainchild of the Roman lawyer and industrialist Telemaco Corsi. After having had a prototype built, based on his ideas, he established the Rectaflex enterprise in Rome. A wooden prototype was shown in 1947, and again 1948 somewhat improved. The venture was rather loosely organised and after some troubled years, the company went out of business in 1955. The Rectaflex was the first commercially successful 35mm SLR with a pentaprism. After the Rectaflex 25000 the original Rectaflex company went down, and a new Rectaflex company was formed, partly controlled by the Prince of Liechtenstein. Telemaco Corsi did not play any role in it. They launched a Rectaflex 40000, often called Rectaflex Liechtenstein. It had a reshaped pentaprism cover, with the Liechtenstein blason, and other minor changes. The number produced is said to be around 200 specimen. It comes with a Carl Zeiss Jena Biotar 2/58mm no.3648243 which is very rare in original Rectaflex mount which is also engraved on the barrel.