Camera That Snapped Che Guevara Sells For Over £15K

On Friday, online auction house Catawiki sold a camera belonging to Alberto Korda (1928-2001), a photojournalist who fearlessly documented the Cuban revolutionaries Fidel Castro and Che Guevara in the 1960s. 

Although estimated to sell for around £5,000, the legendary Leica caught the attention of photography fans and history buffs worldwide, resulting in an eventual sale price of over £15,000.

Korda's most famous photograph – the instantly recognisable image of a stoic Guevara seen in art, t-shirts, and university halls across the world – was more than likely captured in Havana with the Leica camera that was sold.

Korda’s son, Dante, auctioned the camera to share with the world his 'father’s passion, and exceptional skills as a photographer [that] made every event of the revolution a magnificent moment, a genuine representation of an era of changes and beauty.'

Commenting on his father's work, Dante said: "My father, Alberto Korda, was one of the few Cuban photojournalists responsible for capturing the world's attention with the Cuban Revolution Propaganda. He followed the Cuban leaders around and became Fidel Castro's personal photographer for more than a decade (request from Fidel Castro, who was one of his admirers). My father's passion and exceptional skills as a photographer made every event of the revolution a magnificent moment, a genuine representation of an era of changes and beauty. This camera was one of the favorite cameras of my father. My father actively used this camera in the fifties and sixties and kept it the rest of his life."

Back in May, another Leica camera went up for sale with a guide price of 50-60k Euros along many other early Leica auction lots.