Jony Ive and Marc Newson-Designed Leica Camera Sells for $1.8 Million

The design duo sets a new record for a camera sale.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Bono’s RED charity to help fight AIDS and save lives around the world has drawn quite a bit of support from top figures in creative fields. We caught up with legendary graffiti artist and designer Futura in October on his involvement with the project; earlier this month Marc Newson and Jony Ive spoke on a range of products they’d designed to be auctioned off for the charity. This included a Leica M-series camera. When the gavel fell at auction Saturday, the camera's price tag had reached the $1.8 million mark.

Newson and Ive curated the entire charity auction at Sotheby’s New York, raising more than $26 million from 44 lots to support the battle against AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria. The camera itself was just one of a number of items up for grabs and was expected to bring in only between $500,000 and $750,000. The initial funds raised closed in nearer to $13 million, but the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation matched that sum, effectively doubling the amount given over to the charity.

This is said to be the priciest digital camera ever sold. It went to an anonymous buyer.

RELATED: The 15 Most Expensive Cars Ever Sold at Auctions 

[via Gizmodo]

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