John Dowell, better known to the art world as King Nerd, is a British designer known for his original engraving work and handmade rarities. After lending his signature designs to exclusive collaborations with the likes of Harley-Davidson, Jaeger LeCoultre, G-SHOCK, Bamford London and several other household brands, the multi-faceted creative scored big at the Leitz Auction with his latest joint design: a “Planet Earth” Leica MP camera.
The 35 mm film camera, which was estimated to go for €20,000 EUR, was sold to an undisclosed recipient for more than triple the price at €72,000 EUR. Doused in Dowell’s gold engravings, the design “documents the world and everything that’s wrong with it,” according to the artist. The device features illustrations of protest fists, factory smoke, turtles trapped in fishing nets, endangered African forest elephants and melting polar ice caps — all of which are surrounded by foliage, meant to represent how the world can repair itself.
“Documenting our world on a Leica camera was important to me because so many people use Leica cameras to take photos of our world,” said Dowell, per the Leitz Auction. “I originally had ideas to document outer space and planet Earth forever on a Leica camera. When I showed these designs and ideas, the guys at Leica liked what I had created in my drawings, and they decided to let me continue.”
Following the collaborative camera’s auction success, Dowell will continue his partnership with Leica in two more projects. Notably, a second camera collaboration will be auctioned in November.
See King Nerd’s “Planet Earth” Leica MP camera in the gallery above.
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