The Zeiss Icarette was a camera that was inherited into the Zeiss range when the camera manufacturer Ica where absorbed into the new Zeiss company.
The original range of Ica folding pocket cameras had been in production since 1919, and when Zeiss took over the company they continued to work with and develop the design.
Circa 1931 Zeiss released the Zeiss Ikon Icarette 551/2. This was the flag ship of the range and was built around a multi use body, when the Pressure plate is mounted in the body the camera functions as a normal 120 roll film pocket camera, the pressure plate can be removed to allow a ground glass with focusing hood to be installed, this can then be replaced with pack film, sheet film, roll film and plate holders.
This particular Icarette was certainly a cut above anything available at the time from the competition, not just on features, but on build quality. The body was typically over engineered as was the Zeiss way and finished in a fine grain leather and all moving metal parts where nickle plated for endurance. Something I have to say I do enjoy as I much prefer the soft yellow hue of nickle to the brash silvery white of chrome.
The camera features a Zeiss Tessar 10.5cm f4.5 lens, which is removable on a very early bayonet mount, Zeiss did advertise the feature of interchangeable lenses, but it appears they may never of got as far as selling them. They did however sell additional close up and wide angle lenses which made use of the cameras triple extension bed, these are shown in the filter case.
Due to the cameras design this is equally well suited as a small pocket "snapshot" camera, or with the use of the ground glass back, the focus checker, the rise and tilt front movements and additional roll film backs manufactured by Plaubel, it is equally at home as a technical studio camera.
This is a very rare and beautiful camera and not only looks amazing in its own right, but even today can match any photographic demands placed on it and supply images of exceeding quality, and the lens does render a truly unique look that simply can not be replicated.