Posted 4 years ago
brand350cid
(1 item)
I have two Mercury II CX cameras, which I've brought up in RangeFinderForum in the past:
photo 1: CX serial number 43216. It doesn’t have the three feet on bottom, supposedly those begin around sn 100,000. Also, my sn contradicts the numbering system that an online source states CX begins at about 46000, so it's suspected the sn is 143216, though there is no “1” at all, the rest of the numbers are very clearly stamped and well centered on the plate. This camera was left in original condition, as I received it.
photos 2, 3 & 4: CX rear serial number plate is missing and was [likely] replaced with leather (as seen on early CC models). This camera does have the three feet on the bottom. I removed the [original] leather and there are two very shallow indentations where the screws may have been for the rear plate, however these aren’t drilled-through holes with machine thread, as seen on my other CX (when I removed its rear plate for comparison). It doesn’t look like the holes were filled either, they just weren’t machined through, so I’m wondering if the rear leather is original and this was a sample, pre-production or error CX? The camera happens to have a Universal made f2/7 Tricor, and the rear plate would usually have the additional depth of field info. I’ve taken it completely apart it, and there is no serial number inside the camera anywhere. I did find pencil markings “K30” written on the inside of both hump halves. This camera was in rough shape when I bought it. I took it apart, cleaned it up and applied new leather pieces. I sanded and buffed all the metals and I liked the look so much, I didn't bother to repaint anything.
