It might not be what she’s most known for, but former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was once a photographer for the Washington Times-Herald newspaper. Only 23 years old at the time, she was then known by her maiden name of Jacqueline Bouvier, and more affectionately referred to as the “Inquiring Camera Girl,” and earned a weekly wage of $42.50 back in 1952.
Now, over sixty years later, some of the gear she used during her time as a photographer is up for sale on eBay.
Her duties as a newspaper photographer entailed going around town and capturing photographs of people while interviewing them for her column. The camera she used most during this time was a Speed Graphic press camera, but there were others she used from time to time.
One of those devices was her Leicaflex SL SLR camera that she used alongside a Leitz Wetzlar Summicron-R 50mm f/2.8 lens. Two other pieces of equipment that she employed were a Leica Leitz Wetzlar Summicron-R 50mm f/2 lens and a Nikon Nippon Kikkor-S Kogaku 35mm f/2.8 lens.
Back in 2005, all of this equipment was sold at a Sotheby’s auction. Now, it’s being resold on eBay by seller jgautographs, complete with the original Sotheby’s receipts and photographs of Jacqueline Kennedy holding the equipment.
The Leicaflex SL SLR and Leitz Wetzlar Summicron-R 50mm f/2.8 kit is priced at $8,995 as a Buy It Now offer, while the Leica Leitz Wetzlar Summicron-R 50mm f/2 lens and Nikon Nippon Kikkor-S Kogaku 35mm f/2.8 lenses are going for $2,750 and $2,500, respectively.
