During the Second World War, the interruption of German Leica production and exports created an unusual chapter in Leica history. To maintain supplies for the American market, E. Leitz New York commissioned Wollensak Optical Company of Rochester, New York, to produce a small family of Leica screw-mount lenses, 50mm f/3.5, 90mm f/4.5 and 127mm f/4.5 Velostigmat
Optically, these lenses were conservative but proven designs. The 50mm f/3.5 follows the classic four-element, three-group Tessar/Elmar-type formula, while the 90mm and 127mm are also four-element, three-group constructions. The 50mm is particularly interesting: its Elmar-like rendering offers good central sharpness, gentle contrast and the characteristic tonal smoothness of prewar Leica optics. The longer lenses provide useful reach while retaining a distinctly vintage rendering.
Today, their appeal is as much historical as optical. Prices vary considerably with condition and rarity: recent references put the 50mm around US$550–1,500, while the 127mm can range roughly from US$200 to over US$300. The 90mm is generally less expensive, but remains uncommon.
For collectors, these are fascinating American-made footnotes in Leica history—born from wartime necessity, yet now highly desirable pieces of photographic heritage.
