Unbelievable:World's Most Expensive Camera A Gold-plated Leica 'Luxus II' Set To Sell For Over £1.7million

When I heard about the camera above called Leica Luxus II I was intrigued, because I thought it to be a rare piece of art. But when I heard about what it is worth, I'm like 'what?'...lol.

The incredibly rare camera discovered 12 years ago on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow is expected to sell for a world record price of more than £1.7million.

The only surviving model of a Leica Luxus II camera is gold-plated and encased in lizard skin and was one of just four special edition versions made in 1932.

The camera has the serial number 88840 and comes with a 50mm Elmar lens, which features a bell-push release.

The model is now thought to be the rarest camera in existance as the whereabouts of the other three is unknown.

It is also being sold with an original crocodile camera case, the first time one has ever come to light.

The Luxus II was gifted to a British enthusiast after World War Two, used avidly for several decades and then put away somewhere until the owner took it to Antiques Roadshow for a look-see in 2001.

Marc Allum, antiques expert and a presenter on the show, said it has the potential to be the 'most valuable find ever'.

'It was a strange experience at the time,' Antiques Roadshow presenter Mr Allum told the Telegraph. 'It was put in front of me and I looked at it in complete disbelief.

'I never expected to see a camera like that.'

Despite having an estimate of £800,000, it is thought that the camera could fetch a seven figure sum after a Leica 0 series sold for almost £2million last year.

Leica, formerly known as Ernst Leitz GmbH, made their first camera in 1913 which were designed for landscape photography.

The brand went on to become one of the most iconic camera manufacturers because of their small, compact models in contrast to the large versions available at the time.

There were 52,000 models made of the ordinary Leica IIs, but there were only ever four made of these Luxus Leica IIs.

It was a luxury version of the ordinary camera, and the whereabouts of the other three is unknown so this is extremely rare.

'There may have only been such a small number made as a way of making it seem more desirable by the company, or they could have been made to order.

The camera will go up for sale at Bonhams in Hong Kong on November 22.