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Concava Tessina 35

The Concava Tessina 35 is a Swiss subminiature camera that uses 35mm film loaded into proprietary cassettes, producing small rectangular negatives in a twin-lens reflex layout. Made by Concava SA in Lugano, it was introduced in the late 1950s and positioned as an ultra-compact camera small enough to be worn concealed or on a wrist strap.

At recent UK auction, hammer prices for the Tessina 35 have typically sat between roughly £180 and £610, with a median close to £320 across the sales on file. A clean example made £605 at saleroom level in 2025, while an exceptional cased outfit once reached £2,800 in 2005, so condition, completeness of accessories and presentation drive a wide spread in today's market. These are UK auction hammer results — wholesale levels rather than retail asking prices — so dealer and specialist prices for comparable examples tend to sit higher.

Variants

Select a variant to filter the sales history below.

Variant Years Edition Sales Price Range
black — — 0 —
gold — — 1 £938 – £938
STASI (motorized) — — 0 —
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Sales History

Prices shown are UK auction hammer results — the wholesale level achieved in the saleroom. Neither buyer’s nor seller’s commission is included. Dealer and retail asking prices are typically higher.

Prices updated: November 2025

Date Price Source Variant
Nov 2025 £325 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions —
Nov 2025 £938 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions gold
Apr 2025 £300 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions —
Mar 2025 £605 🇬🇧 Chiswick Auctions —
Mar 2025 £400 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions —
Jan 2022 £124 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions —
May 2020 £270 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions —
Nov 2018 £180 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions —
Nov 2018 £240 🇬🇧 Flints Auctions —
Mar 2018 EUR 320 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction —
Jun 2007 £312 🇬🇧 Christie's —
Feb 2006 £420 🇬🇧 Christie's —
May 2005 EUR 2,800 🇦🇹 Leitz Auction —
May 2005 £384 🇬🇧 Christie's —
May 2004 £382 🇬🇧 Christie's —
Mar 2004 £286 🇬🇧 Christie's —
Nov 2003 £528 🇬🇧 Christie's —
Nov 2003 £176 🇬🇧 Christie's —
Sep 2003 £235 🇬🇧 Christie's —
Mar 2001 £470 🇬🇧 Christie's —
Aug 2000 £411 🇬🇧 Christie's —
Jul 1998 £253 🇬🇧 Christie's —

Frequently asked questions

What is a Concava Tessina 35 worth today?

Based on UK auction hammer results, a Tessina 35 is typically worth between about £180 and £610, with a median price near £320; exceptional cased sets have sold for considerably more.

How much does a Tessina 35 sell for at auction?

Most examples sell for a few hundred pounds at UK auction, and a good chrome body with cassettes and accessories sold for £605 in 2025.

Why do some Tessina 35 prices look so high?

Complete outfits with original case, chain, spare cassettes and meter or prism accessories command a clear premium, which is why one well-presented example reached £2,800 at auction in 2005.

Does the Tessina 35 use standard 35mm film?

It uses standard 35mm film, but the film must be loaded into the camera's own proprietary cassettes, so the price and value of a Tessina 35 is closely tied to whether usable cassettes are included.

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